Former Pakistan captain slams board for 'mockery' in Babar Azam exclusion

Former Pakistan women’s team captain Javeria Khan has publicly criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for disrespecting the country’s cricketing heritage by dropping star batter Babar Azam for the second and third Tests against England. The decision, announced on October 13, shocked the cricketing fraternity, as the squad excluded key players like Babar, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah.

Javeria took to her official X account to express her displeasure, calling out the PCB for making a mockery of Pakistan cricket by sidelining one of its premier players in Babar Azam. She highlighted the absurdity of resting a player of Babar’s calibre, especially in the middle of a crucial series.

“We have made a mockery of ourselves in the world of cricket. Systems that don’t respect players like Babar Azam should really not have players like him. No athlete can ever perform with an exhausted mindset, leg pulling, social media trials, and pressure to perform all the time,” Javeria wrote in her post.

“The decision to rest your premier players is taken at the start of the series, not in the middle. Had it been taken before, it would have benefitted the players and communicated a positive msg (message)…Apparently, these four players don’t need rest. It is the system that needs to reset its mindset. Very disappointed and sad to see Pakistan cricket going down the hill,” Javeria added.

The PCB’s decision came after Pakistan’s crushing defeat in the first Test against England in Multan. Despite strong performances from skipper Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, and Salman Ali Agha, the team’s performance drew criticism from fans and experts. Babar’s poor form in particular has been a source of concern. In the Multan Test, he managed just 30 and 5 in two innings, extending his streak without a half-century to 18 innings.

Javeria’s critique echoes the sentiment of many within the cricketing community, who see the decision as disrespectful and unnecessary. She questioned how dropping a player like Babar, who has been the face of Pakistan cricket for years, could benefit the team during such a challenging series.

Whether this decision to rest Babar will prove effective in revitalizing his form remains to be seen. As Pakistan continues its series against England, only time will tell if PCB’s move to leave out their star players will pay off or further hinder the team’s performance.