Days after Pakistan’s disappointing early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy, star batter and former captain Babar Azam has decided to skip the upcoming National T20 Championship in Faisalabad. The tournament is set to begin this week, but Babar, along with wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Rizwan and pacer Naseem Shah, has been left out of the Pakistan T20 squad for the upcoming five-match series against New Zealand, starting on March 16 in Christchurch.
Despite their exclusion from the T20 squad, all three players have been retained for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. Notably, Babar has not participated in a domestic first-class match since 2020.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier stated that centrally contracted players, including Babar, Rizwan, and Naseem, would be required to compete in the National T20 Championship. However, on Thursday, it was officially confirmed that Babar and Naseem had withdrawn from the event, citing workload management and upcoming international commitments.
A source within the PCB revealed that with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) scheduled to start in mid-April, these players are prioritizing the high-profile franchise tournament over domestic commitments. “Given the inconsistent selection policies, they know that a few strong performances in the PSL can secure their place back in the national T20 squad. Social media hype also plays a significant role in their selection,” the source added.
