Sikander Bakht Slams At Babar Rizwan Duo (Source: @babar_thechamp/x.com)
Pakistan and struggle have become synonymous, with their Champions Trophy failure fueling fresh criticism. After that, some of the star batters of the side like Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been dropped from the T20I squad of the ongoing New Zealand tour.
As their domestic tournament National T20 Cup is going on, Babar and Rizwan opted out of the tournament despite being dropped from Pakistan’s T20I squad. Their decision didn’t sit well with former cricketer Sikander Bakht, who slammed the duo and called for stricter action from the board.
Bakht Slams The Players On Skipping The Tournament
Pakistan has been struggling to regain form for years, and their Champions Trophy failure only deepened the crisis. Amid growing criticism, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam sparked fresh controversy by skipping the National T20 Cup despite being dropped from the T20I squad. Their decision fueled further criticism, with former cricketer Sikander Bakht taking a sharp dig at the duo.
“They are employees of the Pakistan Cricket Board. They get 60 lakh per month, so they must play in the tournaments the PCB is organizing. The buck stops with PCB.” he said.
“They have to make sure that players are available. If you are playing club cricket and not playing the tournament the board has organized, it means you are insulting the PCB,” he added.
Urges The Cricket Board To Be Strict
After hosting an ICC tournament for 29 years, Pakistan made an exit right from the group stage. Among all, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s failure caught the attention. In two matches, they scored 49 and 87 runs. The domestic tournament could have been helpful for them to regain their form. Stressing over the duo’s recent move, the former Pakistan cricketer urges the cricket board to be strict.
“This shouldn't happen. Mohsin Naqvi needs to be strict. He comes off as a polite person, but he needs to change his ways. You have to ask what is happening. Be strict. Stop their central contracts.”
After being dropped from the T20I squad, both players will be back in the squad as the team will be facing the Kiwis in a three-match ODI series. The McLean Park is set to host the first ODI match on March 29.