There was widespread speculation about Babar’s status in the side after a BBL where he struggled to make an impact. Babar scored 202 runs across 11 innings at a strike rate of 103.06 – the lowest for any player who has ever scored over 200 runs in a BBL season. In a crucial group stage game, he took offence when Steven Smith turned down a single off the last ball of an over to keep Babar off strike, and though they eventually reconciled, Babar scored one run in the two innings that followed. He returned home with Sydney Sixers still in the competition, and though the official line was he had been called back for national duty, there were calls – including from Mark Waugh – to drop him from Sixers’ starting XI.
Pakistan T20I squad for Australia series
Salman Ali Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) Usman Tariq