PAK vs ENG: Former Pakistan captain criticizes ‘mockery’ at Babar Azam’s exclusion from England Test

Former Pakistan women’s team captain Javeria Khan has publicly criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for disrespecting the country’s cricketing heritage by dropping batsman Babar Azam for the second and third Tests against England. The decision, announced on October 13, shocked the cricket fraternity as the team excluded key players like Babar, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah.

Javeria took to his official X account to express his displeasure, slamming the PCB for mocking Pakistan cricket by leaving aside one of its main players, Babar Azam. She highlighted the absurdity of resting a player of Babar’s caliber, especially in the middle of a crucial series.

“We make fun of ourselves in the cricketing world. Systems that don’t respect players like Babar Azam really shouldn’t have players like him. No athlete can perform with an exhausted mindset, leg pulling, social media testing and pressure to perform well performance all the time,” Javeria wrote in his post.

“The decision to rest your key players is made at the beginning of the series, not in the middle. If it had been taken earlier, it would have benefited the players and communicated a positive message…Apparently, these four players do not need rest. It’s the system that needs to reset its mentality. Very disappointed and sad to see Pakistan cricket declining,” Javeria added.

The PCB’s decision came after Pakistan’s crushing defeat in the first Test against England in Multan. Despite strong performances from captain Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique and Salman Ali Agha, the team’s performance drew criticism from fans and pundits. Babar’s poor form, in particular, has been a source of concern. In the Multan Test, he managed just 30 and 5 in two innings, extending his half-century streak to 18 innings.

Javeria’s criticism echoes the sentiment of many in the cricket community, who consider the decision disrespectful and unnecessary. She questioned how dropping a player like Babar, who has been the face of Pakistan cricket for years, could benefit the team during such a challenging series.

It remains to be seen whether this decision to rest Babar will be effective in revitalizing his form. As Pakistan continue their series against England, only time will tell whether the PCB’s decision to leave out their star players will pay off or hurt the team’s performance further.