Overview

• Pakistan initially excluded Babar Azam from its T20I plans for the August tour of the West Indies after he last played in December 2024.
• Aqib Javed stressed that no player is ruled out and that consistent performance will determine who makes the squad.
• New white-ball coach Mike Hesson plans to assess several emerging talents during the West Indies T20I series.
• Salman Ali Agha has already led a youthful T20I lineup on recent tours to New Zealand and Bangladesh under the refreshed selection policy.
• Babar Azam’s signing with the Sydney Sixers for the Big Bash League offers him a platform to stake his claim for a Pakistan return.