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“Babar, Rizwan Not Our Key Players…”: Hafeez Puts Spotlight On New Match-Winners

Aakash Saini

Mohammad Hafeez and Babar Azam [Source: @tapmadofficial/YouTube, AFP]Mohammad Hafeez and Babar Azam [Source: @tapmadofficial/YouTube, AFP]

Former captain Mohammad Hafeez has questioned Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s positions in the current Pakistan team, claiming that the two cricketers have not been Pakistan’s “key players” for quite some time. Hafeez’s remarks on Babar and Rizwan came just days after a recent report suggested that the two seasoned batters might not find a place in Pakistan’s 2025 Asia Cup squad.

The former all-rounder declared a shift in Pakistan’s core players by naming a couple of youngsters as the new “key match-winning” players for the ‘Men in Green’.

Hafeez Picks Salman Agha, Saim Ayub Over Babar, Rizwan

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez recently made an explosive claim regarding legendary batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, indirectly citing their ‘ineffectiveness’ in producing match-winning performances. Moreover, Hafeez stated that players like young all-rounder Saim Ayub, current T20I captain Agha Salman, and blistering top-order batter Hasan Nawaz have emerged as some of Pakistan’s key match-winners in recent years.

While speaking during a recent interview, Mohammad Hafeez said:

“Babar & Rizwan not our key players right now. In last 1-2 years, Agha, Saim & Hassan Nawaz have been the key players winning matches for Pakistan.”

Troubles seems to be keep mounting for the likes of Babar Azam and Pakistan ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan. In their presence, the Pakistan cricket team recently suffered a shock 1-2 ODI series defeat to the West Indies in the Caribbean earlier this month.

A couple of days ago, a NewsABP Live report indicated that both Babar and Rizwan are doubtful to make it to the Pakistan national squad for the upcoming 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup in the UAE owing to their poor form.

Nonetheless, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are already out of Pakistan’s T20I contention, considering the two cricketers last played a 20-overs international game back in December 2024 against South Africa at Centurion.