"Anyone Could Become Captain": Irfan Pathan Slams Pakistan Skipper Salman Agha With Babar Azam Comparison

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan heavily criticized the Pakistan cricket team for its poor batting performance in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. It is worth noting that Pakistan dropped the likes of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for the continental event. The duo was often slammed for its strike rate. On Thursday, when Pakistan were batting against Bangladesh in an Asia Cup Super Four match, Pathan highlighted their captain Salman Agha's strike rate of 111. He pointed out that even Babar had a better strike rate of 130.

Pathan went on to say that the Pakistan cricket team lacks stability, and that makes it tough for the players as well. He added that it makes the players insecure.

"Stability is never there in the Pakistan team. Anyone could become captain, anyone could become selector. Things could really change because of that. The players too get impacted. This is why the Pakistan players are insecure," said Pathan on Sony Sports Network during the Pakistan vs Bangladesh game.

"How much freehand the new coach is giving to his players, we don't know this. Only Mike Hesson could answer this. I am myself a big critique of Babar Azam, but the boys who have been playing here in middle overs, Babar is better than them," he added.

Among the Pakistan players overlooked for the Asia Cup 2025, the snub of Babar and Rizwan hogged immense limelight. Once an automatic pick for Pakistan in the format, the two were ignored for the continental event that is being played in the T20 format.

Pakistan cricket team chief selector Aqib Javed had later opened up on the snub. "It is not impossible that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will never play T20Is. We are not writing them off. At the moment, we have some players such as Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Shahibzada Farhan. The players who are performing only those will play. We have some good choices, and it is a good thing for cricket," said Javed.

"If both Babar and Rizwan perform like the other players, they will definitely get back into the squad. We have given them guidelines regarding how they can get better," he added.

Topics mentioned in this article

Cricket Babar Azam Agha Salman Irfan Pathan Mohammad Rizwan Asia Cup 2025 Pakistan Cricket Team