Test series: Babar Azam will not open innings against West Indies
Star batter scored 4,190 runs in 104 innings with average of 44.1, including nine centuries, in 57 Tests
January 11, 2025
Under the leadership of Kraigg Brathwaite, the West Indies cricket team is currently visiting Pakistan for a two-match Test series with the first match to begin in Multan on January 17 and second on January 25.
The Pakistan Cricket Board's selection committee has announced a 15-member squad for the series.
Seven players who were part of the squad for the South Africa tour are not included in the West Indies series.
Abdullah Shafique, who was selected as an opener for the South Africa tour, is not included in the squad due to poor form, whereas, Saim Ayub is out with an ankle fracture.
The selection committee has included 29-year-old left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq and 22-year-old right-handed opener Mohammad Haris in the squad.
Haris, from Sialkot, was also part of the Test squad against England. He has scored eight centuries in 44 first-class matches.
On the other hand, Imam has scored 1,568 runs, including 3 centuries, in 24 Tests.
Now, the question arises as to who will open the innings for Pakistan against the West Indies.
During the second Test of the South Africa tour at Newlands, Cape Town, after Saim was injured, former captain Babar Azam opened the innings alongside Shan Masood in both the first and second innings.
In the second innings, with Pakistan trailing by 421 runs, Shan Masood and Babar Azam provided a solid 205-run partnership.
It is now reported that the team management has decided not to open the innings with Babar Azam for the West Indies series.
The 30-year-old former skipper scored 58 runs in the first innings and 81 runs in the second innings during the Cape Town Test against Proteas.
In the two Tests against South Africa, Azam scored 193 runs with 3 half-centuries in four innings.
In 57 Tests, the star batter has scored 4,190 runs in 104 innings at an average of 44.10, with 9 half-centuries.
It is likely that he will bat at number three for the West Indies series. He has played 21 innings at number three in Test cricket, scoring 564 runs at an average of 29.68.
However, his best performances as a batsman in Test cricket have come while batting at number four, where he has scored 52.
