In an emotional message for the star cricketer, former Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar reached out to him when Babar Azam was left out of the Test squad, which was all geared up against England. Anwar believes that Babar will emerge stronger from this setback. Sharing his sympathy with Babar’s situation, Anwar on X said, “This too shall pass. Stay strong, Babar Azam. This happens in anyone’s career; you will bounce back INSHALLAH.”
Babar Azam has been an integral part of Pakistan in all formats, and when the selectors decided to omit him for the coming Tests against England, that presented him with a stern dilemma. Anwar’s message was a reminder that such challenges come along the way for every athlete.
Anwar’s words mirror an astute realization of the pressures inherent in the sport. Admitting that setbacks are temporary and believing in Babar’s resilience is actually a boost for the cricketer.
Massive changes have been introduced to the Pakistan squad for the second and third Tests after deliberations by a newly introduced selection committee. Besides Babar, notable players such as pace bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi and keeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed will be missing in the Multan Test, the second against Pakistan’s insufficient innings defeat in the first Test, despite scoring over 550 runs in their first innings.
The other omission is leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed, who suffered health problems during the first Test. Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Kamran Ghulam, fast bowler Mohammad Ali, and off-spinner Sajid Khan are also coming into the squad.
Aqib Javed, one of the selection committee members, said how difficult it was to choose the squad. “Choosing the squad for the coming Tests against England was not easy,” he said. “We had to consider the player form at the moment, the urgency felt for bouncing back in the series, and the tough international schedule of Pakistan this year in 2024-25.
Javed went on to say that a rest for players like Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Shaheen Shah Afridi would be good for the interest of Pakistan cricket and its players. “This break will help them regain fitness, confidence, and composure, ensuring they return in top form for future challenges,” he said.
The first Test saw England achieve a historic milestone, becoming the first team to take a first-innings lead of over 200 runs after conceding over 550 runs. On the other hand, Pakistan became the first team to lose a Test match by an innings after scoring over 500 runs in their first innings, as England put up an incredible total of 823/7 declared, the fourth-highest Test innings total ever.
This result meant England gained and moved up to the fourth spot in the standings of the World Test Championship while keeping alive their hopes of a final spot, while Pakistan remained at the bottom, with a points percentage of just 16.67.
Squad for second and third Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.
