Is it the right decision to rest Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and co for the Afghanistan series?

[Firebat]

Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Fakhar and Haris all rested as PCB look to "test the youngsters".

Is that the right call or are Pakistan at risk of some damaging defeats? Should we use this series to start to look beyond some of the above names in T20I, particularly the first 2?

[pakistani pride]

Of course. Its just a random T20 series.

[Rana]

The only players I want back for the NZ series is Fakhar and Rauf. Maybe Shaheen

Rizwan and Babar need to retire from this format

[Kraetoz]

Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Fakhar and Haris all rested as PCB look to "test the youngsters".

Is that the right call or are Pakistan at risk of some damaging defeats? Should we use this series to start to look beyond some of the above names in T20I, particularly the first 2?

Doesn't matter if we win or lose. It's the first time ever i am witnessing Pakistan field a B team or rather C team. This is good for long term.

The series itself is as meaningless as it gets. It can't cause any damage whatsoever.

[shamaan]

It's the right call and they should be applauded for this.This is pakistan C Team.

[Kraetoz]

Also England(current world champions in T20is) lost 2-0 so far against Bangladesh, is it damaging? No. Yes some of the names weren't playing, but they still fielded a great side with all the big names Buttler, Malan, Archer, Wood, Moeen, Adil, Curran, Jordan were all playing.

These bilateral series are becoming meaningless. Maybe Najam Sethi can play one of those matches too and it still wouldn't cause any damage.

[Savak]

T-20 format is purely for youngsters and fringe players. Pakistan needs to prioritize ODI and Test Cricket more. Therefore the senior players need to be preserved for the ODI and Test Format and the seniors can play in a few top leagues, PSL and the T-20 Multi nation, WC tournaments at the very most.

[daytrader]

Absolutely the right call. Player workload needs to be managed whether they want it or not.

Flip side though is that we can actually lose this series and give Afghanistan fans the heyday they've been waiting for.

[moghul]

Would have been a right call had Chacha, Faheem and Shaad were also dropped . Nawaz should have also be replaced by Osama Mir.

[emranabbas]

If you go back 20-30 years we use to rotate players All the time and rest players vs zimbabwe then came misbah and it all ended

[JibranAnsari]

Yes every team does that , only icc t20 tournaments should be taken seriously. These t20 series should be used to try out new players.

[Ahmed216]

It’s the right decision but I am slightly confused. The bilaterals in this format should be used to groom youngsters, give them the all important international exposure and come the World Cup play your best 11 with a solid bench strength.
But the selection of deadwood like Shan doesn’t fit in with this line of thinking or may be he’s just an automatic selection with the current regime.

[SamNJ]

Pakistan almost lost to Afghanistan with Babar Rizwan in World T20 2021 and Asia Cup 2022. Wasn't looking good in Warm up at World Cup 2022 either where Rizwan could not touch any ball from Afghanistan pacers.
So it is clear that even with Babar Rizwan Pakistan can slip against Afghanistan.
So rather than looking at win/loss if Pakistan can find 2-3 good players it is all good.

[PakEngFan]

Yes it’s the right decision bar haris who should be dropped. He’s an utterly brainless bowler. Fakhar should soon be dumped too as he’s been a pathetic t20 bat if he doesn’t get his act together. Fakhar has been given a free ride for a long time in t20s and his record is just pathetic.

[Cric1234]

Yes bilaterals against B teams and minnows on flat wickets where scores of 200 plus are seen are what makes opening batsmen look better than they are.

Let Babar and Rizwan play mostly tournaments and big series in T20s it will reveal their true strike rates as we have seen.

[MenInG]

Rashid Latif:

"Our players are featuring in ICC rankings and winning awards after a long time. Babar and Shaheen won ICC awards. They [PCB] couldn’t digest it. They said we won’t let it happen and now we are here and will take decisions. Those who never took rest and are 70 or 80-year-old and need to rest, are now deciding the fate of Pakistan cricket. You can say rest in peace Pakistan team. Our team is now resting in peace"

"When you bring new players, you break a team combination. Some new players, who are selected, will perform in the Afghanistan series, so will they bring back the senior players back with lesser strike rate. Media will also put pressure on them. This is the first step towards destroying Pakistan team"

[Rana]

Rashid Latif:

"Our players are featuring in ICC rankings and winning awards after a long time. Babar and Shaheen won ICC awards. They [PCB] couldn’t digest it. They said we won’t let it happen and now we are here and will take decisions. Those who never took rest and are 70 or 80-year-old and need to rest, are now deciding the fate of Pakistan cricket. You can say rest in peace Pakistan team. Our team is now resting in peace"

"When you bring new players, you break a team combination. Some new players, who are selected, will perform in the Afghanistan series, so will they bring back the senior players back with lesser strike rate. Media will also put pressure on them. This is the first step towards destroying Pakistan team"

Cry all you want Rashid Latif

Cry all you want!

[DeadlyVenom]

Yes it is the right decision. Bilateral T20 cricket should be seen as a way to test team combinations and introduce youngsters to international cricket in a relatively pressure free set up.

Just go out and express yourself you youngster beauties + Chacha.

[sweep_shot]

It is a pointless T20 series. I think it makes sense to rest them and test out youngsters.

[Firebat]

Would it be damaging mentally to throw young players to the wolves before they're ready and they fail badly? I imagine that's the reason why they picked some more experienced heads as well like Ifti, Shan, Imad.

[zarak]

Rashid Latif:

"Our players are featuring in ICC rankings and winning awards after a long time. Babar and Shaheen won ICC awards. They [PCB] couldn’t digest it. They said we won’t let it happen and now we are here and will take decisions. Those who never took rest and are 70 or 80-year-old and need to rest, are now deciding the fate of Pakistan cricket. You can say rest in peace Pakistan team. Our team is now resting in peace"

"When you bring new players, you break a team combination. Some new players, who are selected, will perform in the Afghanistan series, so will they bring back the senior players back with lesser strike rate. Media will also put pressure on them. This is the first step towards destroying Pakistan team"

he is making very little sense.

[gazza619]

Resting players make perfect sense

We should have also permanently rested Shan Masood.

[Suleiman]

Why is it not the right decision? So Rizwan and Babar have further inflated stats that further feeds into the delusion of their fans, only for it to come crashing down at the next world event?

I have nothing against Babar or Rizwan. Whatever you may think of them as players, they are still stand up citizens and the dressing room is United after what seems like 60 years lol.

Their fans can be very cringey though with OTT praise. Seeing their reality shattered in the Asia Cup final and at the WT20, one would think they have learned their lesson, and hopefully they have.

As Pak fans, we really have to stop creating fan clubs around certain players. Because then those fan clubs blind you from what the team really needs to win. Team above individual always.

[ads101]

I understand resting fast bowlers. But really best way to get stronger is to keep winning. I think resting players like this could end in a mess. I don't want to lose any series. If we lose because we rested players, it will definitely be the wrong decision. Afghanistan aren't exactly as weak as they used to, some of their bowlers are better than ours.

Fakhar being rested is not great when he hasn't cemented his spot. It would have been a great time to test him as opener again given his form. He is probably the only player Babar will demote himself to 3 for as well.

What will happen is any opener who performs will be demoted into the middle order when Rizwan, Babar and Fakhar return. Which will not really give us any picture on how well they will do middle order. Azam Khan might find himself dropped after this series if top order batsmen outperform him, but realistically he suits the lower middle order available spots more than the top order batsmen and would be more sense giving him a longer run even if he doesn't excel from the start.

Iftikhar and Masood will also have the chance to perform against the youngsters. If they outperform the youngsters, they will be out. If you'd played Rizwan and Babar instead of Iftikhar and Masood, with the youngsters still playing, you wouldn't have that issue. Again even amongst the youngsters themselves, they will all be competing against each other this series for the few available slots, they're not batting with anyone who's got secured places.

Babar, Rizwan, Fakhar and Haris already will bat top 4. Imad takes the allrounder slot. Azam should take a spot given he's the only lower order hitter type batsman. That leaves one spot at 5. Who realistically is our best youngster batsman to bat at 5? That's what we should be thinking about. But a guy who succeeds opening/ top order this series may not be suited to bat 5.

Some people think this series will force Rizwan and Babar out of the side. That won't happen, they have too many runs behind them already. What is more likely is Fakhar and Haris will be casualties. Haris especially will now be under immense pressure, as if other batsmen outperform him he could easily lose his spot.

Our main priorities for this series in my opinion should have been testing Fakhar as opener again with Babar down to 3/4 (and seeing if Babar can succeed at middle order again), seeing if Azam Khan can be a good middle order batsman and Imad taking back the allrounder slot. I think these priorities will be overwhelmed/ignored when we are testing out so many different players and make it much harder for these players to secure their spots.

[shamaan]

Yes it’s the right decision bar haris who should be dropped. He’s an utterly brainless bowler. Fakhar should soon be dumped too as he’s been a pathetic t20 bat if he doesn’t get his act together. Fakhar has been given a free ride for a long time in t20s and his record is just pathetic.

Fakhar started as a opener and then got moved to 3 to accommodate Rizwan and Babar which wasn't fair.

[Saj]

Should have 'rested' a few more of those who have been picked for the series.

I guess some of the players have sponsors who are probably not happy at them missing the Afghanistan series.

[TeymurBlake]

With the ODIWC on the horizon, scheduling some ODI's would be also have been a better idea.

[zaidihusain]

Rashid Latif:

"Our players are featuring in ICC rankings and winning awards after a long time. Babar and Shaheen won ICC awards. They [PCB] couldn’t digest it. They said we won’t let it happen and now we are here and will take decisions. Those who never took rest and are 70 or 80-year-old and need to rest, are now deciding the fate of Pakistan cricket. You can say rest in peace Pakistan team. Our team is now resting in peace"

"When you bring new players, you break a team combination. Some new players, who are selected, will perform in the Afghanistan series, so will they bring back the senior players back with lesser strike rate. Media will also put pressure on them. This is the first step towards destroying Pakistan team"

Rashid Latif is blabbering as usual by saying PCB is not happy with the success of Babar & Shaheen. Why any board will not be happy with the success of it's own players?? It's not a team of 2-3 players, it's a national cricket team and PCB / Team management should always strive for continuous improvement by improving bench strength and manage work load of individual players. That's how team can be built with long term vision even if it comes at the cost of few loses. Every good team these days keeps rotating it's players with every series to provide fair opportunities to non regular players

[hitthestump]

It is a pointless T20 series. I think it makes sense to rest them and test out youngsters.

Exactly. The seniors don't need to take it so hard.

While Rizwan and Babar were the only thing preventing us from becoming an associate nation in the Asif Ali/Khushdil/Haider era, we now finally have up and coming youngsters who can do a job for us.

It's time to give them a try to see if they can complement RizBab. Everyone knows that they are irreplaceable for us, it's just about how we fit other players around them.

[hitthestump]

Fakhar started as a opener and then got moved to 3 to accommodate Rizwan and Babar which wasn't fair.

Don't think so. Fakhar lost his entire place in the XI due to a telephone number run of form.

Babar has always opened in t20's while Rizwan was a huge success in NZ and has never looked back.

[gazza619]

Rashid Latif:

"Our players are featuring in ICC rankings and winning awards after a long time. Babar and Shaheen won ICC awards. They [PCB] couldn’t digest it. They said we won’t let it happen and now we are here and will take decisions. Those who never took rest and are 70 or 80-year-old and need to rest, are now deciding the fate of Pakistan cricket. You can say rest in peace Pakistan team. Our team is now resting in peace"

"When you bring new players, you break a team combination. Some new players, who are selected, will perform in the Afghanistan series, so will they bring back the senior players back with lesser strike rate. Media will also put pressure on them. This is the first step towards destroying Pakistan team"

Its not as if we were winning left right and centre with our first choice XI

We need to find good back up and replacements.

I dont give a toss about player rankings

[Rana]

It is a pointless T20 series. I think it makes sense to rest them and test out youngsters.

Correct

There is no denying this. Why hasn’t Fakhar batted at 3 for LQ, but KPK moved him to 3 before the WC in 2021?

[PakEngFan]

Fakhar started as a opener and then got moved to 3 to accommodate Rizwan and Babar which wasn't fair.

Fakhar was given 30 odd games as an opener and his numbers were shocking hence moved down as I said a few times he lucky to be in team. Fakhar averaged around 20 odd with with strike rate of 130ish. While both Babar and rizwan avaege double and with similar strike rate. Babar has pretty much opened in t20s since the start of his international career. Here people are non stop crying about rizwan being given 3 chances as an opener.

[PakEngFan]

Correct

There is no denying this. Why hasn’t Fakhar batted at 3 for LQ, but KPK moved him to 3 before the WC in 2021?

Because he wasn’t going to open for Pakistan not rocket science.

[shamaan]

Fakhar was given 30 odd games as an opener and his numbers were shocking hence moved down as I said a few times he lucky to be in team. Fakhar averaged around 20 odd with with strike rate of 130ish. While both Babar and rizwan avaege double and with similar strike rate. Babar has pretty much opened in t20s since the start of his international career. Here people are non stop crying about rizwan being given 3 chances as an opener.

He hasn't been given 3 days he's given alot more games.

[Bewal Express]

Yes and should be done more often. I have long argued that The T20 team( outside WCs and playing Ind)should be used to introduce new players. This is the only way to to develop international level bench strength

[Bewal Express]

Should have 'rested' a few more of those who have been picked for the series.

I guess some of the players have sponsors who are probably not happy at them missing the Afghanistan series.

Tough. Rashid Latif is talking rubbish about the new players. This will help Babar and others to refocus. Win win for PK

[Saj]

I guess the concern for Babar is that Pakistan play really well under the leadership of Shadab Khan against Afghanistan and win the series 3-0. That will put some heat on Babar as the T20 captain no doubt.

[proud_pakistani]

No. Resting Babar right now is not a great idea. He is important for the 50 over world cup this year. This rest can be misconstrued and have a negative impact on him. If they really want to try the other players like Saim Ayub they could have done it with Babar in the squad. What is the point of holding onto Shan Masood in this format? Does he really have a long term future in it? Id say the same about Iftikhar. Resting Rizwan as a keeper is sensible and resting the premier pace bowlers is too.

[PakEngFan]

He hasn't been given 3 days he's given alot more games.

Wrong again and nice way of ignoring the post about Fakhar Zaman.

[Asif321]

I like the mindset of Sethi here . While at same time was listening to Ramiz on tv show he was reluctant for any change stating the reason that our team can’t afford to lose against lower ranked sides . Thankfully Ramiz is gone .

[Energy]

This is an experimental series only, so I don't mind the main players resting. Our ODI unit will look quite different, so it's a chance for Saim, Abdullah, Haris, Azam et al to make their mark.

Fakhar, Imam, Babar, Rizwan would be the core batting unit and there's every chance that a few youngsters can join them on the basis of the Afg series.

Shaheen, Rauf, Naseem, Shadab will make the main bowlers, so good chance for Imad and Ehsanullah to step up and count themselves in.

[daytrader]

Babar in an interview with the Peshawar Zalmi podcast -

"I think you can only perform in the match when you practice hard. I play 500-600 balls daily during my practice. Even double balls when I am out of form. I believe practice is so important for anyone who wants to perform on the ground,"

"Criticism is always there, whether you perform or not. Everyone has their own opinion," he said.

"I think when you find any fault in your batting, it takes some time. People want things to get right immediately, which is not possible," added Babar.

"My father rarely gets satisfied with my performance because he doesn't want me to take things for granted. He always tries to give me some advice so that I can get better and better,"

"Now, he sometimes praises me. But I think it's good for you that your elders keep guiding you and want more from you,"

[shamaan]

Wrong again and nice way of ignoring the post about Fakhar Zaman.

You said Rizwan has been given 3 days not me ?

[Saj]

Just out of interest - Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen weren't told that they were going to be rested until the night of the announcements by PCB.

[Cric1234]

The best thing is let Babar Rizwan play with a team full of younger players and see how their experience helps the team.

[hitthestump]

The best thing is let Babar Rizwan play with a team full of younger players and see how their experience helps the team.

It's better that we see how pathetic we are without them.

[ArabKnight]

Babar rests against quality opposition like Afghanistan!

But doesn’t mind playing all his games against minnows like Netherlands, Scotland, Zimbabwe, etc.

Shows you the kind of player he is!

[hitthestump]

Babar rests against quality opposition like Afghanistan!

But doesn’t mind playing all his games against minnows like Netherlands, Scotland, Zimbabwe, etc.

Shows you the kind of player he is!

Completely wrong as usual - Babar had no intentions of resting for this series.

[ads101]

No it wasn’t. We had space to play 4 youngsters as batsman even with Rizwan and Babar playing, which would have helped the youngsters perform/take off pressure. We have only 2 batsmen with cemented spots. The way we’re resting players it’s like we had a whole batting line up stacked with regular starters.

Now iftikhar and masood will play next games and compete against the youngsters for their spots. And they might end up taking them once this series is done.

[Rana]

InshaAllah same squad picked for New Zealand C team as well.

They deserve to have a go on their home deck too

[Ahmed216]

Absolutely the right decision. These two did not let players like Haider Ali Asif Ali khushdil Shah Azam khan etc develop by occupying the opening spots. All these guys would have been world beaters if Babar and Rizwan took retirement few years ago

[sam_ahm]

Resting some senior players for a random T20 series which is not even part of a structured tour is absolutely fine with me. However, it still doesn't mean the result is not important. The selected players should have done better.

Remember Pakistan are on a losing streak, NZ ODIs, Eng tests, Eng T20 series, and I don't even remember which was the last series which they won against a top 8 side. So against this background the results should be better no matter who is selected.

[Asif321]

If you are scared of losing while trying new players in random T20 series then you will never succeed in long term . Failures bring success . Rather than criticizing remember Babar got out on duck against Afghanistan while rizwan made a mess of chase in Asia cup . Also both failed against Zimbabwe. So these things happen. You lose or win but the plan behind this selection was correct and with vision . Plus afghans in Sharjah are no pushovers

[ArabKnight]

Completely wrong as usual - Babar had no intentions of resting for this series.

Incorrect as usual. He rested for this series.

[daytrader]

If you are scared of losing while trying new players in random T20 series then you will never succeed in long term . Failures bring success . Rather than criticizing remember Babar got out on duck against Afghanistan while rizwan made a mess of chase in Asia cup . Also both failed against Zimbabwe. So these things happen. You lose or win but the plan behind this selection was correct and with vision . Plus afghans in Sharjah are no pushovers

There's a way to try new players. 4 debutants and 4 players recalled isn't any proper planning. You're giving too much credit for this selection and 'vision'. It's not hard to pick a squad from PSL if that's the only criteria. Becomes even easier when you purposefully sideline the seniors.

[shaz619]

Putting a team together which some people would pick is hilarious for paid individuals working in pro sport. Am sure there is an A team who couldn’t have done worse. Regardless, the result is beyond pathetic and humiliating to say the least, there is no excuse for losing to Afghanistan who don’t have the depth, resources or historic experience in the game, Pakistan should be ashamed of themselves. Disgraceful.

[Saj]

Babar, Shaheen and Rizwan all wanted to play against Afghanistan.

They didn't want to rest - they were told they had to miss the series against Afghanistan.

[Bewal Express]

Yes, and I would go further and say that the T20 team should be used to introduce new players. These matches have no meaning and the only thing that matters for us is the T20 WC and matches against Ind. Play your best players against them and at this point in time Babar and Riz are amongst our best players so they play.

[Bewal Express]

Babar, Shaheen and Rizwan all wanted to play against Afghanistan.

They didn't want to rest - they were told they had to miss the series against Afghanistan.

But they shouldn't be playing, we need to develop other players. Our depth is awful, look at the England series, where our bowlers were pathetic because we insist on playing the main players in every series

[Bewal Express]

Babar rests against quality opposition like Afghanistan!

But doesn’t mind playing all his games against minnows like Netherlands, Scotland, Zimbabwe, etc.

Shows you the kind of player he is!

Well he wanted to play according to Saj. So at least get your facts right before commenting

[shamaan]

Incorrect as usual. He rested for this series.

He was rested by management he didn't ask for a rest.