LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board Director High Performance and selector Aaqib Javed said on Saturday that an inquiry will be conducted to determine how Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman sustained injuries following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Addressing a press conference along with Misbahul Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafique, he said raised concerns regarding the fitness status of Fakhar Zaman.
He added that Babar Azam also skipped the Bangladesh ODI series due to injury.
He questioned how a player could be unfit while being part of the World Cup squad, adding that an inquiry will be conducted into the matter.
He stressed that selectors should already know which players are fully fit before including them in such an important tournament squad.
Aaqib Javed said that decisions related to team selection in Pakistan cricket are made through mutual consultation between the coaching staff, captain, and the selection committee.
He explained that the aim of the process is always to pick the strongest possible side. He noted that the coach is also present during selection discussions and contributes to the decision-making.
Aaqib Javed pointed out that Pakistan had earlier achieved success by winning an ODI series in Australia, adding that he himself served as coach for about three to four months during that period.
Discussing the team’s recent performance in the World Cup, he said the results did not meet expectations.
He added the team had high hopes going into the tournament and there was confidence that Pakistan could reach the semi-finals, but those expectations were not fulfilled.
He also expressed the view that the National T20 tournament should have been held before the World Cup, as it could have provided selectors with a better opportunity to assess players’ form. He added that selectors are currently monitoring players’ performances in the ongoing National T20 competition.
The head coach further explained that domestic cricket in Pakistan operates in three different formats and that players cannot be included in or dropped from the national side solely on the basis of a single performance.
He emphasized that for each match, the final playing XI is chosen by the coach and captain according to conditions.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has stated that there are several wicketkeeper prospects in the pipeline, including Haseebullah and Rohail Nazir. He added that Ghazi Ghouri has been in good form recently and could be a strong option for development. Meanwhile, Imran Hussain has delivered impressive performances in domestic cricket.
National selection committee member Misbah-ul-Haq emphasized that the focus is on identifying areas where Pakistan needs specific players. He said that his current responsibility is to concentrate on these priorities.
Misbah added that whenever the opportunity arises, he tries to maximize the team’s benefit. While mistakes have occurred in captaincy decisions, he noted that errors are a natural part of the game.
