Babar Azam says he was not aware that Pakistan dismissed 7 players: It was news to me

Babar Azam has found himself at the center of questions surrounding the dramatic overhaul of Pakistan’s Test squad ahead of the third Test against England at Edgbaston. At the pre-match press conference in Birmingham, the Pakistan captain said yes he did not know about the decision to release seven players from the squad.

The major changes came after Pakistan slipped to an unassailable 2-0 deficit in the three-Test series, with the PCB making several changes to the squad and bringing in a host of new faces for the final Test.

“It was news to me too. I also came to know about it later. Since the PCB has taken the decision, they can explain it better,” said Babar.

Pakistan dropped Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad from the team after the defeat at Lord’s.

The changes came after England secured unassailable series lead with a 194-run victory at Lord’s. Pakistan’s batting struggled throughout the second Test, with the team failing to cross the 200-run mark in a single innings.

BABAR AZAM SHUTS OFF THE FORM QUESTION

The changes inevitably brought Babar’s own form under scrutiny. A reporter asked him about the contrast between his white ball and Test form, pointing to the dropping of Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha due to their performances, and asked how he viewed his own position amid the PCB’s push for under-performers to return to domestic or high-performance cricket.

“If we’re talking about performers, I think I was Player of the Series last time,” Babar replied.

BABAR AZAM COOKED SENIOR SPORTS JOURNALIST:

“When you talk about my performance, I think as captain I was the man of the series against the West Indies. pic.twitter.com/ozbxws1hdu— Rayham. (@RayhamUnplugged) September 8, 2026

Babar was named player of the series after Pakistan’s Test series against the West Indies. He was Pakistan’s top run-scorer, scoring 193 runs at an average of 96.50 and making a vital contribution in the second Test as Pakistan secured victory.

However, his performance at Lord’s was in stark contrast. Babar scored just 8 runs in the first innings and 6 in the second as Pakistan were dismissed cheaply while chasing 389.

With the series already lost, Pakistan will now look to salvage some pride in Birmingham and avoid a 3-0 defeat against England.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

08 Sep 2026 19:41 IST