Pakistan’s Director of the High Performance Centre, Aqib Javed, has finally addressed the long-debated topic surrounding Babar Azam’s omission from Pakistan’s T20I squad last year, insisting that the move was never driven by personal motives and was instead “a collective decision.”
Babar, who captained Pakistan in three ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, was sidelined from the format after Pakistan’s three-match series against South Africa in December 2024. As the team looked to rebuild and invest in young talent ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the star batter found himself out of the selectors’ plans.
The 31-year-old also missed selection for the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, where Pakistan endured a disappointing campaign. Following the tournament setback, Babar was recalled for the home series against South Africa, runners-up at the T20 World Cup 2024.
His comeback proved historic — Babar surpassed India’s Rohit Sharma to become the highest run-scorer in T20I history, reaffirming his stature as one of the premier batters in international cricket.
Despite Babar’s return, many fans continue to blame Aqib Javed — who was serving as interim head coach during Babar’s exclusion — accusing him of having personal issues with the right-hander.
In a recent interview, the 1992 World Cup winner dismissed these allegations, stating he never had the authority to single-handedly select or drop players.
“People say that because Babar was dropped from the T20 side, I must have had a personal issue with him. But if that’s the case, why would it only apply to one format?” Aqib said.
He emphasised that Pakistan’s selection decisions are made after consultations involving the entire committee:
“Who am I, as one individual, to select or drop anyone? These choices are collective — made by the whole selection panel. I’m not in a position to personally favour or oppose any player.”
Aqib concluded by reiterating that Pakistan’s focus at the time was long-term planning for upcoming global tournaments, not personal agendas.
