Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan confirmed on Tuesday that Babar Azam will continue to open the batting for the team in the upcoming Champions Trophy. The eight-team tournament kicks off on Wednesday, with hosts Pakistan facing New Zealand in the opening match in Karachi.
Babar recently took on the opener’s role in the Tri-Series against New Zealand and South Africa but struggled to make an impact, registering scores of 10, 23, and 29. The right-hander has been going through a rough patch, having not scored an ODI century since August 2023, when he reached the three-figure mark against Nepal.
Despite his recent form, Rizwan assured that Babar is comfortable with his position and will continue as an opener in the Champions Trophy, which is returning after nearly eight years.
“We have options, but if you look at the combination, Babar will continue opening the batting for us in the Champions Trophy. He is satisfied with his batting position. We want to bring genuine openers, but it is our home conditions, we want a left-right combination. Hence, we decided to have Babar Azam as an opener as he is technically sound batter,” Rizwan told reporters ahead of Pakistan’s match against New Zealand.
With this confirmation, Babar Azam will pair with Fakhar Zaman at the top of the order for Pakistan in the tournament. During the pre-match press conference, Rizwan also emphasized the importance of team effort rather than focusing solely on individual performances.
“It is not just about me and Babar Azam. Everyone is training very hard and working hard to win the Champions Trophy. We are just controlling the controllables,” Rizwan added.
Additionally, Rizwan confirmed that pacer Haris Rauf is fully fit and is expected to play in the opening match against New Zealand.
‘We suffered for 10 years’
This marks the return of an ICC event to Pakistan after 29 years. The country was sidelined from hosting major international tournaments following the 2009 Lahore terror attack on the Sri Lankan team, which led to a decade-long absence of international cricket in Pakistan. Gradually, teams started touring again, and now Pakistan is finally hosting an ICC event.
However, India will not be traveling to Pakistan for the tournament after the government declined to grant permission. Instead, Rohit Sharma and his team will play their matches in Dubai.
“We suffered for 10 years. No team toured Pakistan, but the team continued to perform well. There should be no doubt that our team lacks players or quality. Yes, on the day we might lose and fall behind, we are trying to give our best and perform well in the tournament,” Rizwan stated.
He concluded by highlighting his goal of ensuring the entire squad contributes as a unit rather than relying on individual brilliance.
“As a captain, it feels the best when the win comes through a complete team performance. But in the recent few matches, it has boiled down to individual performances when we have won. The focus right now is on all 15 members, all 15 members are captains. I just come in front of the media or the toss,” Rizwan said.
