Basit Ali Believes Babar Azam’s Position In Team Will Remain ‘Unaffected’ Even If He Fails To Deliver In Champions Trophy

February 2, 2025: Former cricketer Basit Ali believes that Babar Azam’s place in the Pakistan team will remain secure, regardless of his performance in the upcoming Champions Trophy. The tournament is set to begin in just 17 days, with Pakistan, the defending champions, taking on New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi.

With Saim Ayub ruled out due to injury, speculation has been rife about who will open the batting alongside Fakhar Zaman. During the squad announcement, national selector Asad Shafiq confirmed that both Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel are in contention to open.

Basit, however, expressed confidence that Babar’s position in the team would remain unaffected, even if his performance in the Champions Trophy isn’t up to the mark. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he stated, “Babar’s place in the team will remain unaffected, irrespective of his performance in the Champions Trophy. I hope Babar performs. If he performs, he will say I played for Pakistan. If he doesn’t perform, he will say I was forcefully made to open.”

This statement came amidst the backdrop of Mohammad Rizwan taking over the captaincy after Babar stepped down following the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Ahead of the Champions Trophy, Pakistan will play in a tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand to fine-tune their preparations. The tri-series will kick off on February 8, with Pakistan facing New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium, followed by matches against South Africa and the final on February 14. The action will then move to Karachi for the Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand.

The Pakistan squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy includes Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Khushdil Shah, Salman Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah.