Abdur Rauf: “Mohsin Naqvi hired a mentor on a salary of 5 million. He removed the [20]-year-old highly talented Azan Awais, who had scored 1,400 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 60, from the team and put his own name forward”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan pace bowler Abdur Rauf has claimed veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik took opening batsman Azan Awais’ spot in the National T20 Cup.
Malik represented Sialkot Region in the tournament and scored 65 runs in four matches at an average of 16.25 and a strike-rate of 108.33.
He also took one wicket at an average of 67 and an economy rate of 5.58.
Rauf admitted it was disappointing not to see Awais in action, especially considering his red-hot form in first-class cricket, where he accumulated over 1,400 runs across the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and President’s Trophy Grade-I competition.
The 20-year-old was the top run-scorer in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he amassed 844 runs in eight matches for Sialkot Region, which included four centuries and two fifties, at an average of 76.72.
He then proceeded to feature in the President’s Trophy Grade-I tournament and struck 578 runs in seven games for Eshaal Associates, which included two hundreds and three half-centuries, at an average of 41.28.
“Don’t you feel ashamed? Mohsin Naqvi hired a mentor on a salary of 5 million. He removed the [20]-year-old highly talented Azan Awais, who had scored 1,400 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 60, from the team and put his own name forward. In 4 matches, he scored [65] runs and took one wicket. What’s the definition of a mentor, and who should it be?” Rauf said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Awais didn’t feature in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), while Malik mustered 14 runs in two games for the Quetta Gladiators at an average of 14 and a strike-rate of 93.33.
Following PSL 10, Pakistan took on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series, which they won 3-0.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper) and Saim Ayub