Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has launched a sharp critique of the Pakistan cricket team’s leadership and batting approach ahead of the much-anticipated Asia Cup 2025 final. Speaking during Pakistan’s Super Four clash against Bangladesh, Pathan did not hold back while highlighting the inconsistency in decision-making that has plagued the side. His strongest criticism came when he drew a comparison between current captain Salman Agha’s batting strike rate and that of former skipper Babar Azam, who was controversially left out of the tournament.

Irfan Pathan takes a dig at Salman Agha ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final

Pathan pointed out that Agha, who was appointed captain in place of Babar, played at a strike rate of 111, a figure lower than Babar’s recent average strike rate of 130 in T20 internationals. He stressed that despite Babar’s well-documented criticism over slow scoring in the past, his numbers still appear superior when measured against the performances of Pakistan’s present middle-order options.

“I am myself a big critique of Babar Azam, but the boys who have been playing here in middle overs, Babar is better than them,” Pathan said on Sony Sports Network while analyzing Pakistan’s batting against Bangladesh.

His observations reopened the debate around the exclusion of Babar and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, two of Pakistan’s most consistent performers in recent years. Both players were dropped ahead of the Asia Cup with the selectors citing the need for fresh options in the top order. However, their absence has left Pakistan’s batting struggling for fluency in crucial matches, raising questions over the selection policy and leadership choices.

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Selection turmoil leaves Pakistan unsettled

Pathan further underlined that Pakistan cricket’s recurring instability was at the heart of its struggles. He argued that the constant changes in captains, selectors and team management have left the players feeling insecure about their roles.

“Stability is never there in the Pakistan team. Anyone could become captain, anyone could become selector. Things could really change because of that. The players too get impacted. This is why the Pakistan players are insecure,” he commented while also questioning how much freedom new head coach Mike Hesson has extended to his squad.

The debate over Pakistan’s selections gained momentum after chief selector Aqib Javed explained the controversial omission of Babar and Rizwan. Javed stressed that the selection was performance-based and temporary.

“It is not impossible that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will never play T20Is. We are not writing them off. At the moment, we have players like Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan. Only those performing consistently will play,” Javed stated. He added that both senior batters were provided with specific guidelines to work on their strike rates and adaptability in the shortest format.

Despite that assurance, many former cricketers and experts, including Pathan, believe Pakistan may have compromised its batting depth by leaving out proven performers ahead of a high-stakes tournament. With the Asia Cup 2025 final looming, the scrutiny over Agha’s leadership and Pakistan’s unsettled batting order has only intensified. Whether the team can silence its critics in the title clash or whether the debate around Babar’s absence will overshadow any outcome remains one of the biggest storylines in the lead-up to the final.

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