Babar Azam's spot in jeopardy as rift between Mohammad Rizwan and Aaqib Javed emerges

In a recent development, the Mohammad Rizwan-led Pakistan national cricket team is facing tensions following their group-stage exit from the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan was reportedly frustrated with interim head coach Aaqib Javed for not being consulted on important decisions.

Pakistan is hosting an ICC tournament for the first time in 29 years. However, their performance in the Champions Trophy has been disappointing. The Pakistan team has already been eliminated from the tournament. They will play their final group-stage match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.

Aaqib Javed and Mohammad Rizwan Rift Negatively Impacted Pakistan's Campaign

According to a report by Cricket Pakistan, the rift between Aaqib Javed and Mohammad Rizwan negatively impacted Pakistan's 2025 Champions Trophy campaign. Rizwan was disappointed with Javed due to disagreements over crucial team selections.

The report added that Rizwan pushed for the inclusion of Khushdil Shah, while Javed insisted on selecting Faheem Ashraf. This internal discord, along with differing views on squad selections, contributed to Pakistan's early exit from the tournament.

"According to sources, Mohammad Rizwan appeared frustrated due to a lack of consultation on key decisions. When he advocated for the inclusion of Khushdil Shah, Aqib Javed went ahead and selected Faheem Ashraf on his own. The selection committee and Mohammad Rizwan were clearly not on the same page," Cricket Pakistan reported.

Pakistan Cricket Board to Review Team's Performance After Group-Stage Exit

Cricket Pakistan also reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will review the team's performance after their exit from the Champions Trophy. Several senior players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, are reportedly under threat of losing their spots in the team.

Aqib Javed has no plans to resign despite facing backlash over the squad selection. However, the PCB is expected to remove him from his position. Before the event, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi recommended revisiting the squad twice, but his advice was ignored, and he chose not to make changes.

The PCB will have detailed discussions with the team management to address mistakes and areas for improvement. Notably, the PCB may need to make difficult decisions.

PCB Concerned About Babar Azam's Declining Form

The PCB is concerned about Babar Azam's dip in form, as he hasn't performed well for over a year. Aaqib Javed and the selectors feel that they chose the best available players. However, there are clear issues with the squad, particularly in the areas of opening batsmen, spin bowling, and all-rounders.

Babar Azam's performances have been disappointing. The batter scored 64 runs off 90 balls in the opening match against New Zealand while chasing a target of 321 runs. In the following match against India, Babar managed just 23 runs, as Pakistan suffered their second straight loss in the tournament.

The 30-year-old has averaged below 40 across all formats in his last three seasons from 2023 to 2025. He has not scored a century since his 151-run knock against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup opener.

Also read: Michael Vaughan brutally hammers England Cricket Team after Champions Trophy exit by Afghanistan