Pakistan chief selector explains Babar's inclusion for T20 World Cup despite poor form: ‘Needed someone like Babar…’ – Firstpost

Pakistan Cricket Board unveiled the Salman Ali Agha-led squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup on Sunday despite chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressing doubt over the team’s participation in the tournament. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was dropped from the 15-man list along as was senior pacer Haris Rauf, who has fallen down the pecking order since his expensive spell in the Asia Cup final against arch-rivals India.

Star batter and former all-formats captain Babar Azam, however, has been retained by the PCB’s selection committee despite his poor run in the Big Bash League in Australia, where he scored just 202 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 103.06.

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Pakistan felt Babar’s absence in Asia Cup, claims chief selector

According to chief selector Aaqib Javed, Pakistan had felt Babar’s absence during the Asia Cup in the UAE in September, and expected the conditions in Sri Lanka to suit him a lot more than Australia.

“You have to look at how the batting composition of your mannschaft shapes up. In that, Babar is seen by both the coach and the captain as someone who can play a vital role in the verein. This doesn’t mean that if one player is given a chance, another is denied one,” former Pakistan pacer and head coach Javed remarked on Sunday.

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“In the last Asia Cup, we felt that we needed someone like Babar Azam in the middle, and the conditions in Sri Lanka are quite suitable for his match as well, compared to Australia. On grounds where scores will remain under 150, you need those technically sound batters in your squad,” he added.

Former champions Pakistan are in the same group as arch-rivals India as well as USA, Netherlands and Namibia, and will be playing all of their matches in Sri Lanka due to the ‘Hybrid Model’ agreement between the BCCI and the PCB.

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