Mike Hesson, the head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team, has confirmed that Babar Azam will continue in his role as an opener and unequivocally stated that there have been no discussions about Babar undertaking wicketkeeping duties.
Speaking to the media, Hesson declared: “There has been no conversation with Babar Azam about wicketkeeping. We see him purely as an opener.” He further mentioned that no batter has been given instructions to play with a strike rate of 150, adding that Pakistan’s challenges in T20s stem from issues within the batting department.
Hesson also confirmed that pacer Hasan Ali will be traveling with the team to the West Indies, commending his recent performances. “Hasan Ali is playing very good cricket. In the absence of some fast bowlers, we have given opportunities to others. Players who align with the international plans will be given more chances,” he elaborated.
Commenting on the bowling unit, Hesson stated, “Shaheen Shah Afridi is a world-class bowler. Unfortunately, Haris Rauf is not with us due to injury. Salman Mirza has been included as Hasan Ali’s replacement.”
Regarding the team selection process, Hesson clarified: “I am part of the selection committee. The committee selects a pool of 20 players, from which the captain and coach pick the final 15 to be submitted to the chairman.”
