Mohammad Rizwan

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has criticized the team management’s selection strategy, claiming that making Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan open the innings effectively “punished” Fakhar Zaman.

Speaking on the program Off the Record, Basit Ali said that among the 15 selected players, there is hardly any specialist middle-order batter, as most of the incoming players are natural openers.

He pointed out that players like Sameer Minhas, Moaz Sadaqat, and Shamil Hussain are all openers, raising concerns about the team’s balance.

Basit suggested that former captains Inzamam-ul-Haq and Misbah-ul-Haq should be tasked with grooming proper middle-order batters for the national side.

He termed the decision to promote Babar and Rizwan as openers a mistake, arguing that Fakhar Zaman — a proven opener — was forced to bat at No. 4 and No. 5 as a result. “That was unfair to him,” he said.

Basit further criticized what he described as flawed intent in team planning, stating that many players prefer opening because of the powerplay advantage, with only two fielders outside the circle. However, he stressed that such an approach does not necessarily win matches.

He also questioned the logic behind sending Babar Azam to bat at No. 4, saying it served no purpose. Referring to team management, Basit remarked that Mohsin Naqvi should seek accountability from those responsible for the decision. He added that if a coach publicly criticizes Babar in a press conference a day before a match, then selecting him creates further confusion.

The former cricketer also took aim at Saim Ayub, saying he has played many matches but has yet to deliver significant batting performances. He noted that Saim initially came in as a batter and only later developed into an all-rounder.

Basit added that players like Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz were selected primarily as bowlers, emphasizing that a team with half-set roles — “half pigeon, half partridge,” as he metaphorically described it — cannot win major tournaments.