Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam has reiterated his commitment to representing the national team in all three formats, despite going through a difficult patch earlier this year.
The 31-year-old, who has been a regular in Pakistan’s lineup, struggled for form in recent months, including a modest performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
However, Babar Azam has bounced back strongly, leading Peshawar Zalmi to the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) title, defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen in the final at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
The victory marked Babar Azam’s first title as captain and Peshawar Zalmi’s second PSL title overall, following their 2017 triumph under former West Indies captain Darren Sammy.
The right-hander had an outstanding tournament, scoring two centuries in 11 matches and finishing as the top run-scorer. The performance has boosted his confidence ahead of upcoming international fixtures.
Speaking about his future goals, Babar Azam emphasized the importance of playing all formats of the game, stating that he has no plans to limit himself to one format.
“My focus is on all three formats,” he said. “I feel a batter should play all cricket and should not limit himself to white-ball cricket.”
He also highlighted the importance of red-ball cricket in improving a player’s overall game.
“Red-ball cricket teaches you the art of batting long and instills patience in you. It helps you understand how to score big runs, and all the learnings from the red-ball game help you in white-ball cricket.”
Babar is now expected to carry his form into Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh, where the team will play a two-match Test series starting Friday as part of the ICC World Test Championship.
It is worth noting that Babar’s last Test century came in December 2022. His white-ball performance before the PSL 11 was also below expectations, with his only half-century this year coming in a T20I against Australia ahead of the World Cup 2026.
Reflecting on his lean phase, Babar admitted that he did not meet his own expectations and stressed the importance of self-assessment and resilience.
“I was not up to my own expectations, but it is normal for a batter to struggle with execution,” he said. “You have to take a few steps back, assess where you are going wrong, and correct it.”
He also credited his support system for helping him stay motivated, noting that his family and close friends supported him during difficult times and that he worked closely with his coaches to improve specific areas.
Babar Azam concluded by emphasizing the importance of learning from both highs and lows, describing life as a rollercoaster where experiences, good and bad, help shape growth.
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