Hafeez did not filter words while assessing the duo's performances in recent times.
Veteran batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were left out of Pakistan’s T20I squad announced for the Asia Cup 2025 on Monday (August 18).
In a press conference, PCB chief selector Aqib Javed offered blunt take on Babar and Rizwan's omission from the continental showpiece squad, citing that they need work on their weak areas for a comeback.
Former all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has also endorsed their snub from the T20I side, questioning their current standing as “key players”.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Hafeez did not filter words while assessing the duo. He argued that match-winners are the only ones deserving of the “key player” tag, and by that parameter, Babar and Rizwan have fallen behind.
“Calling them key players would be wrong and unfair. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not Pakistan cricket’s key players at the moment. Key players are those who win matches for Pakistan,” Hafeez said.
He also namedropped players who have carried Pakistan’s hopes in the last couple of years. “If we look at the past year and a half to two years, the players showing consistent performance are Salman Ali Agha, Saeem Ayub and Hasan Nawaz. Why aren’t we talking about them? They are the current players winning matches for Pakistan,” Hafeez added.
Hafeez advised both Babar and Rizwan to re-establish themselves, rather than be treated as untouchables. “I think Babar and Rizwan need to be concerned about their positions in the team. They need to prove themselves as good players first; key players come later. Both were good in the past, but now they are not delivering results,” he remarked.
Hafeez’s criticism was not limited to the batting order as he questioned pacers like Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi for their underwhelming display.
"The same goes for Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, they are also not giving match winning performances for Pakistan,” he said.
Hafeez urged Pakistan cricket to invest in performers who can serve the team for next decade. “We should focus on players who can contribute for the next 10–15 years. Our media criticises one or two players and hypes one or two others, which is wrong. We need to talk about those who are actually performing,” he stated.