Pakistan Plans to Move Babar Azam to Opening Role in Champions Trophy
He is currently the No. 1 ODI batsman in the world, and naturally, the backbone of Pakistan’s batting lineup. Changing the position of such a key player ahead of a major tournament is a risky move—but Pakistan is willing to take that gamble.
In the upcoming Champions Trophy, Pakistan is planning to shift Babar Azam from his usual No. 3 position to an opening role. Interestingly, the last time Babar opened in an ODI was nine years ago.
The Champions Trophy is set to take place from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and Dubai. With young opener Saim Ayub ruled out due to injury, PCB is considering either Saud Shakeel or Babar to partner Fakhar Zaman at the top of the order.
In a press release, Pakistan’s selection committee member Asad Shafiq stated, “Fakhar’s opening partner could be either Babar Azam or Saud Shakeel. The final decision will depend on conditions, the opposition, and match strategies.”
Asad further added, “Both batsmen have exceptional talent in the top order. Babar is experienced in this role—he regularly opens in T20s and even stepped up as an opener in the Cape Town Test, scoring two half-centuries in Saim Ayub’s absence.”
However, Babar’s ODI record as an opener is almost nonexistent. The only time he opened in ODIs was back in 2015, playing two matches and scoring just 26 runs.
In his 123-match ODI career, Babar has primarily batted at No. 3, where he has played 104 innings, amassing 5,416 runs at an average of 60.17. Apart from that, he has batted at No. 4 in 13 matches and once at No. 6.
Now, after nearly a decade, the big question remains—can Babar Azam adjust to the opening role and maintain his consistency?
