Basit Ali: “Even a club cricketer will tell you that in T20s, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf – they are all better players in the format than Babar! Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub are also better T20 players than Babar”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali believes Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub are all better T20 players than Babar Azam.
Azam’s performances in the shortest format have been under intense scrutiny for some time, with critics increasingly questioning his strike-rate and ability to keep up with the demands of modern-day cricket.
Basit also raised concerns over Azam’s place in the side, questioning why the 31-year-old continues to be selected when, in his view, there are players who bring more to the team.
“Even a club cricketer will tell you that in T20s, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf – they are all better players in the format than Babar! Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub are also better T20 players than Babar,” he was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Azam recently captained the Peshawar Zalmi in the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and played an instrumental role in leading them to the title as he was the highest run-scorer with 588 runs in 11 matches, which included two centuries and three fifties, at an average of 73.50 and a strike-rate of 145.90.
He then played one Test against Bangladesh and scored 115 runs, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 57.50.
His excellent form continued in the three-match ODI series against Australia as he amassed 125 runs, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 41.66.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a two-Test tour of the West Indies, with both matches being played in Trinidad and Tobago from July 25 to August 6.
After that, the men in green will head to England for three Tests, which will be held from August 19 to September 13.
Azam has been reappointed as Pakistan’s Test captain and will lead the men in green in both series.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
Pakistan Squad for England Test series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah