LAHORE: Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has defended Babar Azam following scrutiny over his recent performances in the tri-nation series against New Zealand and South Africa, as well as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Babar, who was pushed to open the innings in the absence of Saim Ayub, struggled to make an impact in his new role. The former Pakistan captain was later dropped from the T20I squad, along with ODI skipper Muhammad Rizwan, for the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand.

Imad questioned the decision to alter Babar’s batting position and criticised those advocating for his exclusion from the ODI squad.  He highlighted Babar’s consistency in the 50-over format, calling his achievements unmatched in Pakistan cricket. “People want the exclusion of Babar Azam from ODIs as well. Nobody achieved what Babar has in ODI cricket so far.

You had one player who could play 40 overs and was doing great in ODIs,” Imad said in an interview. He also expressed frustration over the move to have Babar open in the Champions Trophy instead of selecting a specialist opener. “Why would you make him open all of a sudden? Don’t we have any other opener in the whole country?" questioned Wasim. "Sometimes, I fail to understand the logic behind some of our decisions. We are not moving in the right direction, I would say we are going backwards,” he added. Babar’s omission from the T20I squad has sparked debate, especially in the wake of Pakistan's crushing defeat to New Zealand in the first T20I. Supporters and critics are weighing in on the team's selection choices.