Why Babar Azam Was Dropped from Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 Squad?

Babar Azam is a famous Pakistani cricketer who bats elegantly with his right hand at the top of the order. Pakistan dropped Babar Azam from their T20I team for the 2026 T20 World Cup mainly because of his low strike rate and bad recent performances in T20 matches.

Key Reasons

• Pakistan’s team bosses, including head coach Mike Hesson, wanted their batters to play more aggressively before the World Cup. They focused on picking players who score runs faster (higher strike rates).
• Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi were told they weren’t needed in T20 matches. The team shifted to younger players who hit quicker.
• Babar’s exclusion started during the Asia Cup 2025 due to weak scores against Australia and South Africa. He was then dropped from series like the Sri Lanka T20Is.

Recent Performances

Babar Azam returned to T20 internationals in late 2025 against South Africa. He got out for a two-ball duck his eighth in T20Is, which left him upset and didn’t prove why he was recalled.

This followed a poor run since December 2024, with his low strike rate questioned in the Big Bash League. Coach Hesson told him to improve it, but he didn’t impress selectors enough for the World Cup team.

Squad Strategy

The team selectors tried other players like Mohammad Haris, who scored a quick half-century in the Asia Cup’s first match against Oman. They’re planning ahead for the 2026 World Cup. Players like Salman Ali Agha led some tours without Babar.

Also Read: Why Mohammad Rizwan was dropped from Pakistan’s T20 World 2026 Squad?

A few players missed out due to Big Bash League duties, but poor form and team strategy mattered most.

Babar Azam stats in T20Is

Mohammad Rizwan has played 93 T20I matches as a wicketkeeper-batsman for Pakistan, scoring 3,414 runs with a highest score of 104.

He has been dismissed lbw 9 times, bowled 14 times, stumped 3 times, caught 71 times, and run out 6 times in T20Is. Babar has also contributed in the field with 51 catches.