In the wake of a shambolic performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Pakistan incurred a group-stage exit after failing to secure a win in any of their three games, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shuffled the decks once more for the impending five-match series in New Zealand. Hence, Babar Azam faced the axe, as he was dropped for the tour, along with captain Mohammad Rizwan.
Babar has long been scrutinised for his poor performance across formats. In the Champions Trophy, he scored just 126 runs in three games, including a sluggish 64 in a losing cause. Babar was harshly criticised by former cricketers, with the legendary Shoaib Akhtar calling him a "fraud."
Amid the criticism, Babar's father, Azam Siddique, Wednesday, launched a scathing attack both on the PCB for dropping his son and on the critics. Taking to social media, Siddique shared a lengthy post, backing Babar to bounce back in T20 format.
He wrote," Boss is Always Right. Member of ICC's Twenty20 of the year team and even after getting the cap, he will drop. It is okay. He will perform in National T20 and in PSL. Insha Allah, he will come back soon after performing in the team. That's the only respectable. They are very big former players. They are requested to keep their words right. If someone answers back, they may not be able to tolerate. You are the past and the door will never open."
He added, "Some others say that if the father speaks more, then in the Holy Prophet. He is his first and last coach, spokesperson, mentor, and the most well-wisher and father in the world, so those who do not have or are not capable of it, please be patient and it is a request to the cricket lovers who have been shouting day and night for them. Before listening to what they did in their time, look at PCB website once. A hint is enough for the rest of the wise. Pakistan Zindabad."
{{/usCountry}}He added, "Some others say that if the father speaks more, then in the Holy Prophet. He is his first and last coach, spokesperson, mentor, and the most well-wisher and father in the world, so those who do not have or are not capable of it, please be patient and it is a request to the cricket lovers who have been shouting day and night for them. Before listening to what they did in their time, look at PCB website once. A hint is enough for the rest of the wise. Pakistan Zindabad."
{{/usCountry}}Why did Pakistan drop Babar, Rizwan?
Pakistan’s interim head coach and national selector Aaqib Javed on Tuesday explained that the decision to drop Babar and Rizwan for the New Zealand tour was taken to try out a new approach and develop a new mindset among the players for modern-day T20 cricket.
"If you look at other teams, most of them have 70 per cent separate T20 squads, and we are also working on that before the Asia Cup and World T20 Cup. We need our players to play fearless cricket,” he told the media in Lahore.