Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has expressed strong surprise and disappointment over the exclusion of star batter Babar Azam from the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Bangladesh.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Yousuf said that including Babar in the T20 World Cup squad was already surprising, but removing him from the ODI team if it is not a decision to rest him is beyond understanding. He questioned who was making such “illogical decisions.”
The decision comes after Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.
The team needed a 65-run victory against Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight match but could not achieve the required margin.
Although Babar did not perform according to expectations in the T20 World Cup, scoring 91 runs in six innings, his recent ODI form had improved. In the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, he scored 165 runs, including his 20th ODI century.
The exclusion has triggered discussions among cricket circles, with many analysts pointing to his recent one-day performance while debating the rationale behind the selection decision.
