LAHORE: Member of Pakistan’s national selection committee Aqib Javed has said that star batter Babar Azam will miss the upcoming Bangladesh series due to injury, while opener Fakhar Zaman is also unfit.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Aqib Javed revealed that the selection committee would investigate how two key players became injured immediately after the World Cup. He said it would be determined whether the players had already sustained injuries during the tournament.
Aqib Javed said the team had high expectations from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup but failed to perform as expected.
Referring to Pakistan’s record against India national cricket team in World Cup matches, he noted that the result currently stands at 8-0 in India’s favor, adding that if the India match is set aside, Pakistan had lost only one game in the event.
“One match was washed out due to rain, and if we miss the semi-final, people immediately start saying everything is finished and demand wholesale changes,” he said.
He confirmed that Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Salman Mirza are currently not fit to play. Aqib Javed questioned whether the players would have been fit even if Pakistan had reached the final.
The former fast bowler also clarified that the final decision on the playing XI lies with the captain and coach. He said the selection committee has no desire to decide the playing XI and that he personally has no role in picking the final eleven.
According to Aqib Javed, the captain and coach must have the freedom to make those decisions because they are responsible for managing the team on the field. He stressed that each stakeholder should take responsibility rather than calling for sweeping changes after every defeat.
He also pointed out that Pakistan’s cricket development has not progressed as it should have since 2009, noting that constant changes after losses do not help long-term development.
Meanwhile, former captain and selection committee member Sarfaraz Ahmed said several wicketkeepers are in the pipeline, including Haseebullah and Rohail Nazir, while Ghazi Ghori has shown promising recent form.
Another committee member, Misbah-ul-Haq, said the focus remains on identifying which players Pakistan needs for specific roles. He added that whenever given the opportunity, he tries to contribute as much as possible, acknowledging that mistakes in captaincy are part of the game.
