Selection committee to probe injuries of Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman

2026-03-14 - 09:34

LAHORE – Pakistan Cricket Team selection committee member Aqib Javed has confirmed that Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman will miss the upcoming Bangladesh series due to injuries. The committee has also decided to investigate how two key players sustained injuries immediately after the T20 World Cup. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Aqib Javed said Pakistan had high expectations in the T20 World Cup but fell short of performing as anticipated. He noted that aside from the India match, Pakistan lost only one other game, and one match was abandoned due to rain. He criticised the public reaction to Pakistan’s semi-final exit, stating that people immediately blamed players and management without considering the circumstances. Aqib Javed confirmed that Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, and Salman Mirza are currently unfit to play. He added that the decision for Babar’s participation in the World Cup was taken jointly by the team management, and the Bangladesh series plan had always included providing opportunities for new players. He emphasised that the composition of the playing XI is the responsibility of the captain and coach, stating, “Our role is not to pick 11 players; the coach and captain must have full freedom to manage the team on the field.” ighlighting the state of domestic cricket development, Javed said Pakistan’s progress since 2009 has been below expectations. “We have implemented numerous changes, but development has not kept pace,” he remarked. Javed also explained that when former coach Jason Gillespie was in charge, it was decided that the 15-member squad would remain unchanged, prompting the selection committee to remain proactive. He added that the committee submitted a list of 20 players, and the coach evaluated combinations for the best team. Javed stressed that selections for international events must be based on domestic performance. “Players cannot be picked solely on the basis of one tournament,” he said. Former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed spoke about Pakistan’s wicket-keeping pipeline, citing Haseebullah, Ruhail Nazir, and Ghazi Ghouri as promising options, and praised their recent domestic form. The selection committee member Misbah-ul-Haq added that the committee’s focus is on identifying areas where Pakistan requires players and ensuring the team’s overall strength. He acknowledged that mistakes in captaincy occur but said they are part of the learning process. The selection committee reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent process, ensuring player fitness and readiness while giving the coaching staff the freedom to make tactical decisions for the team.