New Pakistan coach outlines return path for Babar and Afridi in Twenty20
Karachi: New Pakistan white-ball coach Mike Hesson has poured cold water on speculation that Babar Azam may return to the T20I side as a wicketkeeper-batter, clarifying that the former captain is instead battling for an opening slot as he eyes a comeback ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Speaking to the media during a training camp in Karachi on Thursday, Hesson addressed social media rumours head-on.
“Babar Azam is not seen as a wicketkeeping option. I’m not sure where that came from but I have heard the speculation,” he said. “Babar is competing for one of the opening positions at the moment. Obviously, we have Fakhar [Zaman] and Saim [Ayub] in those two roles currently, so he’s competing for that.”
Babar, who has not featured in T20Is since the tour of South Africa in December 2024, finds himself out of Hesson’s first-choice XI for now, but the coach made it clear the door remains open — provided he adapts to the evolving demands of the shortest format.
With a career T20I strike rate of 129.81, Babar trails both Fakhar (133.49) and Ayub (138.48) in scoring pace — a key factor Hesson highlighted as Pakistan looks to catch up with global trends.
“No doubt strike rate is important in T20 cricket, but you have to combine it with a volume of runs,” Hesson said. “There’s a good reason why our T20 ranking is low — our strike rates from a batting point of view haven’t been high enough.”
He noted improvements in Babar’s approach in recent weeks and expressed confidence in the right-hander’s ability to adjust.
“It’s not just a matter of going from 125 to 150. It’s about increasing what you offer, because we’re often 30—40 runs short with the bat. We need to find a way of bridging that gap.”
Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, another notable absentee from Pakistan’s recent 3-0 sweep of Bangladesh, is also part of the ongoing Karachi camp and remains central to Hesson’s long-term plans. The coach rubbished reports that Shaheen had been advised to focus on other formats.
“Shaheen is a world-class player. Like everyone else here, he’s at this camp because he’s part of the wider white-ball plans,” Hesson said. “Players go through form cycles, and it’s our job as coaches to help them return stronger.”
In addition to Babar and Shaheen, senior players Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, and Mohammad Wasim Jr have also been called up for the weeklong training camp, which runs until July 15. The squad for the three-match T20I series in Bangladesh later this month features several fresh faces, with Salman Ali Agha appointed captain.
Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
July 20: First T20I, Dhaka
July 22: Second T20I, Dhaka
July 24: 3rd T20I, Dhaka.
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