Pakistan’s Babar Azam led Peshawar Zalmi to their second Pakistan Super League (PSL) title win after a disappointing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Babar batted out of position and was eventually dropped but it didn’t change Pakistan’s fortunes in the tournament as they faced a Super 8 exit. While his place in the T20 squad was questioned, Babar finished PSL as the highest run-scorer in the season. After the win over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final, Babar was asked whether he will give up one format.
‘Tension na lein, teeno format kheloonga (Don’t stress, I will play in all three formats),’ Babar told the journalist in the post-match press conference, cutting short his question.
“It’s not for the player to decide [which format to skip]; a player’s job is to play. In my opinion, every player should play every form of cricket. You shouldn’t focus only on the white ball or T20s. Red-ball cricket gives you immense experience. It teaches you how to build an innings and gives you patience. When you play four-day cricket or any domestic circuit, you gain the experience of scoring ‘long’ runs. You should play all three formats because each one helps the other. Red ball helps you in T20s and ODIs. When you play Test matches, the patience and mindset you develop—the art of playing a long innings—benefit you significantly in white-ball cricket.”
Babar overcomes poor T20 form with record run in PSL 2026
Babar’s strike rate has been under scanner. In T20 World Cup 2026, Saim Ayub was the designated opener but he failed to deliver. In the must-win game Babar and Ayub were dropped and Fakhar Zaman opened the innings with Sahibzada Farhan. After a poor run on Sri Lankan soil in the mega event, Babar scored 588 runs from 11 innings at an average of 73.50 and strike rate of 145.90, including two centuries and three fifties.
Babar shifts focus to Tests
While the focus shifts to red-ball cricket now with Pakistan touring Bangladesh for a two-Test series, resuming their World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign, it is yet to be seen whether selectors will keep Babar in the T20I side after a good run in the PSL 2026.
Will Babar play ODI World Cup 2027?
After the T20 World Cup 2026, Babar also missed the ODI series against Bangladesh. Babar’s statement confirms that he is eager to be in scheme of things for the ODI World Cup 2027. He did not have a good record in 2025. From 17 innings last year, he scored 544 runs at an average of 34 and strike rate of 77.16. He scored a century and three fifties last year in the 50-over format.