Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has confirmed that star batter Babar Azam’s role in the upcoming home T20I series against South Africa, starting October 28 in Rawalpindi.
Babar, the second highest run-getter in T20I history, was sidelined from the shortest format after Pakistan’s tour of South Africa last December and later missed the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025, as team management shifted focus towards developing young players for the future.
However, after Pakistan’s heartbreaking Asia Cup campaign, the former captain has been recalled for the three-match series against the Proteas, who finished as runners-up at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Speaking to reporters at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Hesson said Babar’s return strengthens Pakistan’s top order and also revealed that Fakhar Zaman’s temporary exclusion from T20Is created space for the right-hander’s comeback.
READ: Babar Azam returns for T20I series against South Africa
“I certainly endorse his selection, with Fakhar Zaman sent to first-class cricket. We’ve had a conversation with him, and he wants to come back into the One-Day scenes, so we’ve given him a bit of a break from T20Is to get his technique back to where he wants to be, and I’ve been really supportive of that,” Hesson said.
He added that the decision opened up a slot for Babar in the batting lineup.
“And that created an opportunity for another top-order player, and it is a great opportunity to get Babar back into the squad. He’s likely to bat at three, so it’s a role that I’m very confident he’ll be able to do well in,” he stated.
Hesson also believes Babar’s comeback gives Pakistan more flexibility as they prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The three-match series will run from October 28 to November 1, with the first T20I in Rawalpindi and the remaining two fixtures scheduled at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
