Follow Virat Kohli! Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan forced into international cricket retirement

Former Pakistan National Cricket Team pacer Tanvir Ahmed has sent a strong message to the superstar batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Tanvir Ahmed told Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to follow Virat Kohli's footsteps and retire from international cricket if they felt disrespected after the Asia Cup 2025 snub.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan snubbed from Pakistan's Asia Cup squad

Rizwan and Babar are two of the most famous Pakistan cricketers and are considered two of the best batters to emerge from the country in the last decade.

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They consistently performed for the team and achieved big personal milestones. But in the last few years, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been struggling a lot.

Their batting forms have seen a massive downfall, and they haven't been able to win any matches for Pakistan.

Due to their poor performances, they were axed from the Pakistan teams, and despite some speculations, failed to make the cut in the Pakistan squad for the Asia Cup.

Babar Azam has played 128 matches for Pakistan and scored 4223 runs at an average of 39.83 and a strike rate of 129.22. On the other hand, Mohammad Rizwan has played 106 games and scored 2723 runs at an average of 47.41 and a strike rate of 125.37.

Consider retiring from international cricket - Tanvir Ahmed

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were mainly left out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad because of their poor strike rates. However, former Pakistan fast bowler Tanvir Ahmed has urged the duo to retire from international cricket, following the 'Virat Kohli' path, if they felt disrespected.

"Meri Babar Azam aur Rizwan say request hai ager ap log yeh samajhtey hain ap logon ke izzat nahi ha tou retirement ley lo international cricket say humarey samne virat kohli ke examples hain. @babarazam258, @iMRizwanPak izzat apney hath main ha (My request to Babar Azam and Rizwan is that if you feel your respect is not intact, then consider retiring from international cricket. We have examples of Virat Kohli in front of us. Babar and Rizwan, respect is in your hands)," he tweeted.

Notably, Tanvir Ahmed seems to have got his facts wrong as Virat Kohli didn't retire from T20I or Test cricket because of any issues with the board or feeling any disrespect, and it was his personal decision.

Also Read: SRH to throw Heinrich Klaasen out with Cameron Green on radar? Truth revealed

Babar Azam is a great player - Javed Miandad

Another former Pakistan cricketer, Javed Miandad, was quite disappointed to see Babar not being picked for the Asia Cup 2025.

Javed Miandad blasted the selection committee and said that Babar Azam is a great player who needs to be backed in tough times.

“Unko khud ko nahi pata. Unhone cricket kheli hai? Jo jis level pe cricket kheli hai, woh selection kar rahe hain Babar Azam ki. Usko kya nazar aayega? (they have no idea, have they even played cricket? At the level they have played, how are they eligible to select Babar and what eyes do they have?)," Miandad said during a media interaction.

"Babar Azam is a great player. Ups and downs hote hain (there are ups and downs in the game). Cricket is like a radio — you have to catch the station. Jab aap wicket pe jaate ho, bowler aata hai, aap sochte ho — haan, main yeh kar sakta hoon (a batter has plenty to think when he walks in the middle and responds accordingly)."