Credit: Google
Legend Wasim Akram is happy with Pakistan’s current T20I team who are playing without their senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for the last few assignments in the shortest form of the sport. Akram has welcomed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to keep Babar and Rizwan away from the Men in Green’s T20I set-up. Both veterans played their last T20I match in December 2024, with their appearance against South Africa in Centurion. Noting their ineffective performances in the three-match series against the Proteas, PCB dropped them from the T20I side.
Talking about their omission from Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2025 squad, Akram said that the two players got enough opportunities as openers but their performances weren’t convincing as per the standard of the current team. "I think this team is doing OK. They have given enough chances to Babar and Rizwan as openers for 4 or 5 years. They did well, but not as well, not as consistently, and hence the new boys," remarked the legendary pacer while speaking on Sony Sports.
Eyes to be set on young Saim Ayub during Asia Cup 2025
As Pakistan will play their first match against Team India without Babar and Rizwan for the first time in four years, eyes will be on 23-year-old Saim Ayub’s performance. On September 14, when the Green Army will take on India, Ayub’s responsibility will be to deliver a fine start to his side with Sahibzada Farhan. The southpaw has played 41 T20Is for Pakistan, in which he hoarded 816 runs at a strike rate of 136.45.
Veteran Fakhar Zaman will also have to step up in the high-octane contest to help his side taste victory against the defending champions. However, records reveal that the 35-year-old’s bat has remained quiet against India in T20Is. Appearing in four contests, he has scored only 38 runs in three innings.
