Former PCB chairman has slammed the decision to split up the successful opening pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in T20Is.

Babar and Rizwan achieved tremendous success while opening the batting for Pakistan in the shortest of the game, as the duo hold the record for the top 5 best partnership stands for their side in T20Is.

However, during the series against New Zealand, the team management decided to split them up in a bid to bring in Saim Ayub into the team. Babar was demoted to number three in the order, where he has scored a hat-trick of fifties in the first three matches of the series.

Raja, while speaking on his YouTube channel, questioned the call by the team management and criticised them for putting too much pressure on breaking the accomplished partnership of Babar and Rizwan in order to bring in a youngster into the side.

“So much pressure was created to break the opening pair of Babar and Rizwan. After breaking the opening partnership, which was evaluated based on the strike rate. When you bring in new players, they may perform well in leagues, but international cricket is a different beast where there is pressure, and the focus of the entire world is on you. You broke the opening pair that was famous worldwide,” said Raja.

What benefit did you get by breaking Babar-Rizwan patnership: Ramiz Raja

Raja would continue his criticism of the team management and claimed that forming an opening pair takes time, and it was the wrong call to break up an accomplished duo like Babar and Rizwan.

“Either you have workshop of trained openers behind you who are gradually being introduced, when you have no other options. It takes time to form an opening pair. It’s not an easy task. So, if you have a pair, and they consistently kept you in the field during matches, what benefit did you get after breaking it?” said Raja.

Pakistan will face New Zealand in the 4th T20I on January 19.