Babar Azam, Naseem Shah fail to impress in National T20 Cup 2025

After being left out for the T20I series against New Zealand, Babar Azam and Naseem Shah entered the National T20 Cup 2025, representing Lahore Blues.

Initially, there were reports that both players had opted out of the National T20 Cup. However, Naseem and Babar featured in the playing XI of Lahore Blues for their match against Karachi Whites.

In a match against Karachi Whites, both star players, who were once regular part of Pakistan’s team in each format of the game, failed to make an impact as Lahore Blues suffered 37-run defeat.

Naseem Shah had a disappointing outing going wicketless in his four-over spell and conceding 41 runs. His inconsistent line and length favored Karachi Whites, and he was unable to strike at crucial junctures.

Karachi Whites, the defending champions, set a formidable 172-run target for Lahore Blues, which ultimately proved too steep a mountain to climb.

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Babar Azam, who opened the innings for Lahore Blues, started off promisingly, scoring 22 runs off 17 deliveries, including three fours. However, he failed to convert his innings into a substantial one, leaving his team’s hopes of a successful chase in tatters.

It is worth noting that Babar Azam was initially not part of the Lahore Blues squad, and his participation in the tournament was uncertain.