Mike Hesson rules out Babar’s return to opening role

WEB DESK: Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has strongly indicated that Babar Azam will not return to the opening slot in T20Is, suggesting the team’s approach at the top of the order has moved on.

Speaking ahead of Pakistan’s Super Eight clash against New Zealand, Hesson said Babar was fully aware that his strike rate in the powerplay at T20 World Cups had been below 100 — a number that does not align with the side’s current strategy of maximising the first six overs.

“Babar understands that the demands of modern T20 cricket, especially in global tournaments, require a higher tempo in the powerplay,” Hesson said. “That’s an area where we want more intent.”

Babar, who has been used largely at No. 4 since returning to the side after the Asia Cup, is now viewed as a middle-order option capable of stabilising the innings when required. Hesson pointed to his knock against USA, where Babar accelerated after getting set — a template the team management would like him to follow more consistently.

“We see him as someone who can absorb pressure and guide the innings if we lose early wickets,” Hesson said. “But we also have players in the squad better suited to the finisher’s role.”

The numbers underline the shift in thinking. Playing his fifth T20 World Cup, Babar has scored 187 runs off 217 balls in the powerplay across editions, at a strike rate of 86.17. Even at No. 4, his strike rate hovers around 120 — solid, but not necessarily in keeping with the high-tempo demands of contemporary T20 cricket.

For now, Babar’s role appears less central and more situational — a stabiliser rather than an aggressor at the top.