Pakistan team’s troubles: Babar Azam openly criticizes decision to change batting order Cricket News

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has publicly expressed his displeasure at being asked to play the No. 3 batsman role in T20I matches, a sign that all is not well in the national team dressing room. It all started when the top-order batsman was forced to resign as the leading batsman in all three formats of the game by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Babar made his feelings clear during a media interaction during the Pakistan Super League on Tuesday, saying he was not happy with the decision to bat at number three during the T20Is in New Zealand in January.

Babar and Mohammad Rizwan got off to a successful start, with the latter opening the batting partnership with young Saim Ayub as Pakistan lost the series 1-4.

“This was the request of the Pakistan team at that time and I did it for Pakistan.”

“If anyone asks me individually, I am not happy with the decision to bat in a bad position. But, I did it for Pakistan,” Babar said.

He also clarified that he was not under any pressure in the shortest matches either for Pakistan or his PSL team Peshawar Zalmi.

Earlier, Rizwan had also expressed dissatisfaction with the change in batting order and said the management’s decision was ineffective and hurt the team.

“You can say it [breaking the opening pair] It hurts Pakistan. I can say that Babar Bhai has a big heart.

“We all agreed that there is no problem. We all told the management that they can try any combination they want,” Rizwan said after Pakistan lost the fourth T20I to New Zealand.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez and new T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi initiated changes in the batting order.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)