Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has shed light on the immediate T20I future of star players Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, both of whom were omitted from the upcoming series against Bangladesh.
Addressing the media during Pakistan’s white-ball training camp in Karachi on Thursday, Hesson offered clarity on Babar’s current position in the team setup, confirming that the right-hander is vying for a place at the top of the order.
“Babar is in contention for an opening spot at the moment. Right now, we have Fakhar (Zaman) and Saim (Ayub) occupying those roles, so he’s competing for one of those positions,” Hesson said.
While Babar has been a consistent run-scorer in T20Is, his career strike rate of 129.81 has often come under scrutiny, especially when compared to Fakhar Zaman (133.49) and Saim Ayub (138.48). Hesson acknowledged that Babar will need to raise his scoring rate to adapt to the modern demands of T20 cricket.
Babar to work on his strike-rate
“Strike rate is undoubtedly crucial in T20s, but it must go hand in hand with the volume of runs. Babar is among a number of players capable of evolving in that area. I’m here to support that growth. Over the past month or so, I’ve seen some promising adjustments in his game,” he added.
On Shaheen Shah Afridi’s omission, Hesson explained that the left-arm quick is still part of Pakistan’s long-term white-ball plans but has specific areas to refine before returning to T20I action.
“Shaheen is a top-tier talent. We’ve identified certain areas he needs to focus on — as is the case with everyone at this camp. The purpose of this training group is to develop players within the wider white-ball setup, including T20s,” he said. “Every cricketer experiences highs and lows. Our role as coaches is to help them regain form and perform at their peak when representing Pakistan.”
Babar, Shaheen, and Mohammad Rizwan were not included in Pakistan’s previous T20I series at home against Bangladesh, and they are expected to sit out the upcoming West Indies series as well.
For More Sports Related News: Follow RevSportz