Pakistan’s team management has decided to make Babar Azam the official opener alongside Fakhar Zaman for the upcoming tri-nation tournament and ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This strategic decision places one of Pakistan’s most experienced and reliable batsmen in a crucial role at the top of the order.
Sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirm that Babar Azam has accepted this challenge after thorough discussions with team selectors, head coach Aqib Javed, and batting coach Shahid Aslam. This shift aims to mirror the legendary role played by Sachin Tendulkar for India, where he transitioned from the middle order to become one of the most dominant openers in cricket history.
Why Babar Azam as an Opener?
The decision to push Babar Azam up the order comes in light of recent squad selections and the unfortunate injury to young opener Saim Ayub. Ayub suffered an ankle injury during the Cape Town Test, ruling him out for two to two and a half months. With limited options available, selectors had to rethink their strategy for the crucial ICC events ahead.
National selector Asad Shafiq had earlier hinted that the second opener would be decided before the matches begin, and now it has been confirmed that Babar Azam will take on this responsibility.
Convincing Babar Azam to Take on the Role
Initially, Babar Azam was hesitant about moving up the order permanently in ODIs. However, multiple discussions with:
- Head coach Aqib Javed
- Batting coach Shahid Aslam
- Selectors, including Muhammad Rizwan and Asad Shafiq
helped convince him that this transition could benefit both him and the team.
He was specifically told that Pakistan needs a solid and technically strong opener who can play long innings, much like Sachin Tendulkar did for India in the 1990s. Tendulkar made his ODI debut as a middle-order batter in 1989 but became an opener in 1994-95, a move that transformed India’s batting dominance.
Pakistan’s Plan: Babar as the Key Run-Getter
The team management expects Babar Azam to take up the role of an anchor, ensuring that he stays on the crease for most of the innings, providing stability at the top. This plan revolves around Babar’s natural ability to accumulate runs, rotate strike, and build a strong foundation for aggressive finishers down the order.
Pakistan’s ODI team relies heavily on its top order, and with this new approach, the selectors hope to maximize Babar Azam’s batting potential by giving him more deliveries to face.
Babar Azam’s Record and Experience as an Opener
Babar Azam, 30, has been one of Pakistan’s most successful batsmen in ODI cricket. His impressive stats include:
- 5,957 runs in 123 ODIs
- 19 centuries and 23 half-centuries
- Batting average of 56
While Babar is a regular opener in T20Is, he has only opened in two ODIs, both against England in 2015. However, his overall consistency at No. 3 and No. 4 makes him a reliable candidate for this new role.
Fakhar Zaman & Babar Azam – The New Opening Pair
With Fakhar Zaman as the aggressive left-handed opener and Babar Azam as the steady right-hander, Pakistan now has a balanced and complementary opening partnership.
- Fakhar Zaman’s attacking approach can put pressure on bowlers early.
- Babar Azam’s ability to play long innings ensures stability and control.
This combination could be Pakistan’s winning formula in the tri-series and ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Challenges Ahead for Babar Azam as an Opener
While the decision to move Babar to the top order seems strategic, it comes with its own challenges:
- Facing the new ball against world-class bowlers in swinging conditions.
- Adapting his game to play the role of both anchor and accelerator.
- Maintaining consistency and strike rotation to keep up with modern ODI demands.
However, if Babar Azam successfully adapts, this could elevate Pakistan’s ODI strategy to the next level.
A Defining Moment for Babar Azam & Pakistan Cricket
This move is being viewed as a game-changer for Pakistan cricket, with Babar Azam stepping into a role previously held by some of the greatest openers in the game.
With the tri-nation tournament and ICC Champions Trophy approaching, all eyes will be on Pakistan’s new opening duo to deliver consistent and match-winning performances.
