Asia Cup 2025: Javed Miandad Blasts Pakistan Selectors For Dropping Babar Azam

Asia Cup 2025: Javed Miandad Blasts Pakistan Selectors For Dropping Babar Azam

Pakistan head coach has asked Babar to improve his strike rate if he wants to make a comeback in T20Is

Former Pakistan batter Javed Miandad has slammed the selectors for leaving out Babar Azam from the squad of Asia Cup 2025, which gets underway in the UAE on September 9.

On August 17, Pakistan announced their squad for the tournament, omitting both Babar and Mohammad Rizwan. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has asked Babar to improve his strike rate if he wants to make a comeback in T20Is.

Miandad, however, believes the team management should have shown faith in the star batter instead of sidelining him.

"Unko khud ko nahi pata. Unhone cricket kheli hai? Jo jis level pe cricket kheli hai, woh selection kar rahe hain Babar Azam ki. Usko kya nazar aayega?,” Miandad told the Times of India.

“Babar Azam is a great player. Ups and downs hote hain. Cricket is like a radio - you have to catch the station. Jab aap wicket pe jaate ho, bowler aata hai, aap sochte ho - haan, main yeh kar sakta hoon.”

Pakistan will kick off their Asia Cup campaign against Oman on September 12 in Dubai, before locking horns with arch-rivals India in a blockbuster clash on September 14.

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