Mohammad Amir: “Babar Azam needs to prove his selection now. I heard the management saying that they need him in spin-friendly conditions, but he has struggled against spin”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Pakistan left-arm pace bowler Mohammad Amir has called on top order batsman Babar Azam to “prove his selection” in T20Is.

He noted that Azam has been backed by the selectors and team management, and now must reward the faith shown in him by scoring runs consistently.

Amir added that Azam supposedly thrives in spin-friendly conditions, but his observations have suggested otherwise.

“Babar Azam needs to prove his selection now. I heard the management saying that they need him in spin-friendly conditions, but he has struggled against spin,” he was quoted as saying by Khel Shel.

Azam recently showcased his capabilities in the shortest format when he captained the Peshawar Zalmi to the title in the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The 31-year-old played a key role in his team’s successful campaign as he was the highest run-scorer in the tournament 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.

Azam returned to international duty after PSL 11 and started off with 115 runs in one Test against Bangladesh, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 57.50.

Next came three ODIs against Australia and he accumulated 125 runs, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 41.66.

Azam recently replaced Shan Masood as Pakistan’s Test captain and will therefore be in charge when the men in green take on the West Indies in a two-Test series in Trinidad and Tobago from July 25 to August 6.

Pakistan will then head to England for three Tests from August 19 to September 13.

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

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