Pakistan men’s team head coach Mike Hesson has confirmed that Babar Azam will continue to play as an opener and clarified that there has been no discussion regarding Babar taking up wicketkeeping duties.
Speaking to the media, Hesson stated: “There has been no conversation with Babar Azam about wicketkeeping. We see him purely as an opener.” He said that no batter has been instructed to play with a strike rate of 150, adding that Pakistan's struggles in T20s stem from issues in the batting department.
Hesson confirmed that pacer Hasan Ali will travel with the team to the West Indies, praising his recent performances. “Hasan Ali is playing very good cricket. In the absence of some fast bowlers, we have given opportunities to others. Players who align with the international plans will be given more chances,” he explained.
Commenting on the bowling unit, Hesson said, “Shaheen Shah Afridi is a world-class bowler. Unfortunately, Haris Rauf is not with us due to injury. Salman Mirza has been included as Hasan Ali’s replacement.”
Regarding team selection, Hesson stated: “I am part of the selection committee. The committee selects a pool of 20 players, from which the captain and coach pick the final 15 to be submitted to the chairman.”
