Kamran Akmal: “You are making Babar open. With this decision, the team combination is ruined, and so is Babar’s confidence”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has blasted the decision to make batsman Babar Azam an opener ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Azam has opened the batting before, but it was in T20Is.
The 30-year-old was promoted up from the number three spot during the recent ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa since regular opening batsman Saim Ayub is out of action with a fractured ankle.
In that tri-series, the Lahore native scored 62 runs in three matches at an average of 20.66.
He then amassed 87 runs in two games in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which included a top score of 64, at an average of 43.50.
Despite performing better in the Champions Trophy, Akmal still doesn’t like the fact that Azam is playing as an opener, saying it is hurting his confidence.
“You are making Babar open. With this decision, the team combination is ruined, and so is Babar’s confidence,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by NDTV.
Pakistan lost to New Zealand and India in the Champions Trophy, which led to them getting eliminated in the group stage.
Their final game against Bangladesh was washed out, which meant they went winless throughout the tournament.
Next up for the men in green will be a tour of New Zealand, which will consist of five T20Is and three ODIs that will be played from March 16 to April 5.
Pakistan Squad for T20I Series against New Zealand: Hasan Nawaz, Omair Yousuf, Mohammad Haris, Abdul Samad, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for ODI Series against New Zealand: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Irfan Khan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir
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