Pakistan head coach shares weird ‘Babar Azam in Dubai’ post ahead of India clash

Pakistan head coach Azhar Mahmood shared a weird post about Babar Azam on social media during the Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE. Babar is currently in Lahore ahead of the Asia Cup Super Four clash against India, scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 21, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Babar, once considered Pakistan’s best modern cricketer, was sidelined from the T20I setup following a prolonged dip in form. The Pakistan Cricket Board appointed Salman Ali Agha as captain and opted for a younger squad to compete in the tournament, where they advanced to the Super Four stage.

Babar Azam Spotted in Dubai - Pakistan Head Coach Azhar Mahmood

Ahead of Pakistan’s Super Four clash against India, Azhar Mahmood joked that Babar Azam was spotted in Dubai before revealing he was on a golf course in Lahore.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

“Breaking news: Babar spotted in Dubai 👀 … oh wait, that’s just him slicing another superb golf shot on a beautiful golf course here in Lahore 🤣⛳," Azhar wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“Breaking news: Babar spotted in Dubai 👀 … oh wait, that’s just him slicing another superb golf shot on a beautiful golf course here in Lahore 🤣⛳ #Lahore#Golf #PAKvIND @babarazam258 pic.twitter.com/Ynr7V16hfI

— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) September 21, 2025

In recent years, Pakistan relied heavily on Babar and Mohammad Rizwan. However, following a disappointing T20 World Cup 2024, the team management decided to move forward without them. They are currently unlikely to feature in the 2026 World Cup plans.

Babar Azam Last Played a T20I for Pakistan in December 2024

Babar Azam is the second-highest run-scorer in T20Is, behind only Rohit Sharma. He has scored 4,223 runs from 128 matches at an average of 39.84 and a strike rate of 129, including three centuries and 36 half-centuries.

However, his recent form has been a concern for Pakistan. He last played for Pakistan in a T20I match against South Africa in December 2024, recording three single-digit scores in his last 10 T20I innings, with a best score of 41.

Babar Azam last played an international match during the ODI series against the West Indies, scoring 9, 0, and 47 in three matches. The batter’s most recent international century came in 2023 against Nepal. Head coach Mike Hesson is hesitant to recall him or Mohammad Rizwan for the T20I squad.

Azhar Mahmood Named Pakistan Head Coach of Men’s Red-Ball Team

The Pakistan Cricket Board recently named Azhar Mahmood as the head coach of the men’s red-ball team. He will coach the national cricket team until April 2026. Mahmood will take charge ahead of Pakistan’s 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship campaign.

Pakistan will start the new cycle with a two-match home Test series against South Africa, followed by a series in Bangladesh in early 2026.

The 50-year-old previously served as Pakistan’s assistant coach and bowling coach. Former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie resigned as red-ball head coach in 2024, and Aaqib Javed then served as interim coach.

Mahmood represented Pakistan in 23 Tests and 143 ODIs between 1996 and 2007. The all-rounder took 162 international wickets and scored over 2,400 runs in his cricket career.

Also read: Watch: Joe Root builds his dream batter using skills of fellow stars; Virat Kohli grabs special spot