PAK vs ENG: Newly Formed Selection Committee Likely To Drop Former Pakistan Skipper

After the defeat against England in Multan, Pakistan are likely to make a big change by dropping Babar Azam according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.

Multan (Pakistan): Babar Azam is set to face the consequences of Pakistan losing the first Test against England in Multan. After a massive defeat in the first Test of the bilateral series, Pakistan’s ace batter will be is likely to be dropped from the second Test fixture according to the report published by ESPNcricinfo. The report adds that the newly formed selection committee has suggested dropping him from the squad. The panel met on Saturday in Multan in a session which had the presence of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

The selection panel felt that being away from the national side would benefit Babar considering his struggle with the bat for a long time. He hasn’t scored a Test fifty since December 2022. The newly formed selection panel comprises of Aaqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, former ICC umpire Aleem Dar, and analyst Hassan Cheema. The report also mentions that neither Masood nor Gillespie were present in the meeting held on Friday.

Babar’s form has been under scrutiny for a long time but his poor performance on the flat track in Multan has aggravated the discussion. He amassed 35 runs across two innings in the Multan Test. Since the start of 2023, the right-handed batter has an average of less than 21 across nine Tests. After being appointed as the skipper of the white-ball teams for the second time in 2023, the 29-year-old captaincy.

Pakistan will play the second Test against England on October 15 with the aim of bouncing back in the series with a victory. On the other hand, England will be looking forward to sealing the series.