Basit Ali says Babar Azam is not a no. 4 batter

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has spoken openly about the decision to sideline spinner Sufiyan Muqeem from the Pakistan team.

Speaking on Har Lamha Purjosh, Basit Ali said questions were not raised when Shadab Khan scored 30 runs off 12 balls, nor was there any debate at the time about how he made it into the team. “Now that the team is struggling, everyone is talking. Why weren’t these concerns raised before?” he remarked.

He said Pakistan had a talented option in Sufiyan Muqeem but chose to push him aside without justification.

Basit Ali also reiterated his stance that Babar Azam is not a number four batter and that forcing him to bat at that position is unfair. He said this view had been expressed on the ARY platform even before the squad was selected.

Commenting on Pakistan’s match against Namibia, Basit Ali said, Babar Azam’s batting skills were exposed as the coach ‘declined to send him in for batting after 11 overs.  He said Babar Azam might open in the future and Saim Ayub bats on the latter number.

Referring to outside inclusions, he criticised what he termed “parachute selections”, saying even Mike Hesson had “come in from nowhere”. He questioned the value of raising objections after selection decisions have already been made, especially if Pakistan progresses to the next round and struggles to fit players into the line-up.

Basit Ali concluded by admitting that Shaheen Afridi has genuinely not been performing, adding that this criticism is valid and based on form rather than hindsight.