Pakistan head coach Aqib Javed backed the management's decision to promote Babar Azam as an opener ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which is scheduled to start from February 19 to March 9. The former skipper was promoted as an opener after Saim Ayub was ruled out of the mega event due to injury.
Babar who featured as an opener in the ODI tri-nation series failed to perform with bat. Despite his poor performance, Aqib Javed is confident that the stylish batter will play big innings in their important matches.
“Our rationale behind the change was that if you look at the away series against South Africa, Babar Azam had to bat in the first over in all games. Then Saim got injured, and he had to open in Tests too. These pitches are not troubling the batters at the start, we wanted our best batter to make good use of the powerplay, that suits us more,” Aqib said at post-match press conference.
“So, I think, in these conditions, Babar should open and I am hopeful that he will play a big innings in important matches,” he added.
Despite Pakistan's one win from three matches in the recently concluded tri-nation ODI series, Javed believes that the team will do great in the Champions Trophy.
"This team will do great in the Champions Trophy. If this team bats normally and down till number eight you can score 350. If Haris Rauf gets fit and gets in form with Naseem and Shaheen as well as our spinners. This lineup has everything it needs to defeat any team," stated Javed.
“We had to have a spin all-rounder and a pace all-rounder, that is why Khushdil and Faheem are in the team. There should be variety when you are playing tournaments,” he added.
Pakistan will start their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against New Zealand on February 19 at the National Stadium in Karachi.