How did Pakistan select replacements for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan?

Team's top order in the spotlight after disappointing performance against India in Asia Cup

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan during the Asia Cup match against India at the Dubai International Stadium. Chris Whiteoak / The National

After Pakistan’s defeat to India in the group stage of the T20 Asia Cup in Dubai, the spotlight has turned on their batting line-up.

The selection of top-order batters has particularly come under fire, as they were chosen ahead of the country’s two most prolific T20I scorers – Babar Azam (4,223 runs) and Mohammad Rizwan (3,414).

Against India, Pakistan’s top and middle order crumbled to 64-6, with the lower order adding some respectability to reach 127-9. India chased it down with ease, winning with 25 balls to spare (using just 79 per cent of their innings resources).

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Here, we examine the stats and reasoning behind the selection of Pakistan’s T20I openers in 2025.

Saim Ayub

The 23-year-old left-hander rose to prominence in 2023 in domestic T20, before making a bigger impact in the Pakistan Super League with 341 runs at an impressive strike rate of 165.53.

That same year, he topped the six-hitting charts in the Caribbean Premier League, smashing 28 sixes. With Pakistan seeking a more aggressive approach at the top of the order, Ayub quickly emerged as a popular choice to open, symbolising the team’s intent to evolve its playing style.

Although he has yet to fully replicate his domestic form at the international level, Ayub boasts a strike rate of 136.00 in T20Is – the third highest among Pakistan players, behind only Shadab Khan (140.17) and Shahid Afridi (150.75).

Notably, it’s the best among Pakistan’s top-order batters, a position the team has long struggled to modernise in line with contemporary T20 standards.

Sahibzada Farhan

Only two batters in Pakistan’s T20I history have a strike rate above 140, underscoring the team’s persistent challenge in finding explosive top-order options. Farhan emerged as a promising candidate to fill that gap.

While his inclusion raised questions given the already crowded top-order in the squad, his domestic form was hard to overlook.

In 2024, he became the first Pakistani to score four T20 centuries in a year – three in the National T20 and one in the PSL, where he was also the top scorer with 449 runs at a strike rate of 152.20. In 2025, he has hit 85 sixes, the most by any Pakistani batter in a calendar year.

Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar regularly opened for Pakistan between 2017 and 2020, before Rizwan took over the role. Although Rizwan and Babar consistently scored runs at the top, many believed Zaman's superior striking ability made him a better fit as an opener.

Despite not returning to his original spot for Pakistan, Zaman continues to excel as an opener in the PSL, where he has been instrumental in Lahore Qalandars’ dominance helping them win three titles in four years. He scored 439 runs in the 2025 PSL, the second highest in the tournament, and remains the only player with over 100 sixes in PSL history.

Mohammad Haris

One of the brightest prospects to emerge from PSL, a tournament which is widely seen as the gateway to international cricket for Pakistan players, Haris has impressed with his ultra-aggressive batting and wicketkeeping skills.

He first made headlines with a blazing 11-ball 28 against South Africa at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Sydney.

In PSL history, Haris stands out as the only local batter with a strike rate above 160 mark (164.54). Despite being around the national set-up for three years, he has played just 30 internationals.

In 2025, he became the first Pakistani to score a T20I century from a position other than opener, achieving the feat against Bangladesh in Lahore.

Hasan Nawaz

Originally picked as an opener, the 23-year-old batter is now doing the middle-order duties. Nawaz earned his international debut after a strong showing in the 2024 National T20.

In just his third outing for Pakistan, Nawaz, while opening the innings, smashed a 44-ball century against New Zealand in Auckland, the fastest T20I hundred for Pakistan.

He soon made his mark in the PSL as well, excelling in the middle order for Quetta Gladiators. With Pakistan lacking reliable middle-order options, his performances solidified his place.

Nawaz ended the tournament with 399 runs at a strike rate of 162.19, hitting a record 28 sixes and becoming the first “emerging category” player to win the player of the tournament award.

He has hit 34 sixes in 21 innings in T20Is in 2025, the most by a batter from a Test-playing nation.