Sikandar Bakht: “Players like Babar Azam have low averages in home matches, and that’s concerning”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan fast bowler Sikandar Bakht has expressed concern over Babar Azam’s poor batting average when playing on home soil.
His comments come after Azam failed to have an impact in the two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
Azam only managed to score 45 runs at an average of 11.25, which Bakht admitted is a worrying sign since the 30-year-old is supposed to be one of Pakistan’s best batsmen.
He was then in action in Pakistan’s ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and made 62 runs in three matches at an average of 20.66.
Following this, the Lahore native amassed 87 runs in two games in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which included a top score of 64, at an average of 43.50.
“Players like Babar Azam have low averages in home matches, and that’s concerning,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan are now taking on New Zealand in a white-ball series, but Azam was not selected in the team for the five T20Is.
The men in green are 3-1 down in the T20I series heading into the 5th T20I on March 26 in Wellington.
Afterwards Pakistan and New Zealand will play three ODIs, which Azam has been picked for.
The 1st ODI will be held on March 29 in Napier.
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