Sports | October 19, 2026
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has claimed that Babar Azam’s place in the ODI team is under threat and that the team management is weighing his future in the format.
Speaking on a private TV program, Akhtar asked the host whether he would pick Babar Azam in the ODI team.
He said the team management is considering the possibility of dropping Babar from the side.
The former fast bowler said he did not want to create any sensation or controversy around Babar. He said Babar should play and prove through his abilities that he is the right player for ODI cricket.
Akhtar also spoke about the challenges Aqib Javed faces in ODI cricket, saying that meeting the demands of batting and bowling for 50 overs would be a major issue. He expressed concern about this, saying it looks extremely difficult, but hoped his assessment would turn out to be wrong.
Babar Azam has not scored a Test century since his unbeaten 161 against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022. His last ODI century was an unbeaten 102 against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi in November 2025, which was his 20th hundred in the format.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has included Babar Azam in the squad for the ODI tri-series against Sri Lanka and England.
Earlier this month, selectors had left Babar out of the squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. His last T20 International was on February 24.