Former captain Mohammad Hafeez has made a strong statement after Pakistan named their squad for the Asia Cup 2025.
Hafeez claimed that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should not be called as “key players” of the team anymore, as their form has dwindled in recent times.
Both stars have been left out of the 17-man squad, and Hafeez feels others have been doing the real job for Pakistan in recent times in white-ball format.
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Why does Hafeez think Babar and Rizwan are not key players now?
Hafeez explained that a key player is one who consistently wins matches for the country. In his view, Babar and Rizwan have not been delivering the kind of performances that justify this tag.
He said that while both had good records in the past, their recent outings have not been strong enough to carry the team forward.
“Calling them key players would be wrong and unfair. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not Pakistan cricket’s key players at the moment. Key players are those who win matches for Pakistan,” stated Hafeez in a video posted on YouTube.
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He even put Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi in the same category, saying they also need to raise their game if they want to be called match-winners again.
"The same goes for Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, they are also not giving match winning performances for Pakistan," he added.
Which players did Hafeez highlight as Pakistan’s real match-winners?
Instead of Babar and Rizwan, Hafeez named Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz as players who have shown consistency over the last one-and-a-half to two years.
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According to him, these are the names who have been winning matches for Pakistan, and they deserve more credit and attention from the media.
“If we look at the past year and a half to two years, the players showing consistent performance are Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz. Why aren’t we talking about them? They are the current players winning matches for Pakistan,” said Hafeez.
He also stressed that Pakistan cricket should focus on youngsters who can contribute for the next 10-15 years, rather than relying on big names who are not performing.
"We should focus on players who can contribute for the next 10–15 years. Our media criticises one or two players and hypes one or two others, which is wrong. We need to talk about those who are actually performing. If we want to improve Pakistan cricket, those in the AC rooms and those executing plans on the ground must address these issues promptly," noted Hafeez.
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For Pakistan cricket to truly improve, he believes both decision-makers in offices and those working with the players on the ground must take quick action.