Former Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim has voiced his disappointment with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to drop former captain Babar Azam after the national team’s opening loss to England in Multan. In an online interview, Qasim criticized the PCB’s handling of top players, particularly Babar Azam, who has been one of Pakistan’s most reliable batters in recent years.
Qasim highlighted an issue in Pakistan cricket where top-performing players are given the captaincy, but when they go through rough patches, they are quickly discarded. “Our mindset has become that the top performer automatically becomes captain, but when that cricketer faces a rough patch, they’re discarded without a second thought,” Qasim remarked. He emphasized that even Babar’s so-called “bad” innings, which range around 30-35 runs, are better than many other players’ performances, yet he is still under heavy scrutiny.
Qasim pointed out the importance of supporting players like Babar during difficult phases, just as past legends such as Zaheer Abbas were supported. “Even greats like Zaheer Abbas went through tough times. During those times, they were supported. The same should apply to Babar. You cannot build a team without your superstars, like Majid Khan, Imran Khan, or Javed Miandad,” he stressed.
Calling the decision to drop Babar unfair, Qasim argued that questioning his place in the team as a player is unjustified. Many current and former cricketers share Qasim’s sentiment regarding Babar’s selection.
Babar Azam, known as one of the most consistent batters globally, has recently faced a slump in form. Despite this, after being dropped following the first Test against England, he is expected to make a return for Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Australia.
