Mohammad Yousuf: “If Babar plays a longer innings at number four, then he can even finish a game”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Iconic Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf has suggested that Babar Azam bat at number four in T20Is as it will allow him to finish matches.

Azam used to open the batting in the shortest format, but despite scoring runs consistently, he was criticised for his low strike-rate.

Currently, the 30-year-old seems to have lost his spot in the side as he was not selected for Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the three-match series against Bangladesh.

If the Lahore native were to return, Yousuf feels he should be slotted in at number four.

“If Babar plays a longer innings at number four, then he can even finish a game,” he said on Samaa TV programme Zor Ka Jor.

“Babar has the capability to hold firm if the team is facing a collapse.”

Azam recently took part in Pakistan’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand and made 129 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 43.

Following this, Azam captained the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and finished with 288 runs in 10 games, which included three fifties, at an average of 36 and a strike-rate of 128.57.

After PSL 10, Pakistan won their T20I series against Bangladesh 3-0.

The men in green will be back in action soon as they will travel to Bangladesh to play a three-match T20I series in Mirpur from July 20 to 24.

However, Azam was once again ignored by the selectors.

Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza and Sufiyan Muqeem

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