Director of the National High-Performance Centre, Aaqib Javed, has clarified the situation regarding Babar Azam's future in T20I cricket, emphasizing that performance will be the key factor in player selections. Recent reports had suggested that Babar, along with Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi, might be excluded from Pakistan's T20I plans for the upcoming series in the West Indies.

Babar Azam has been absent from Pakistan's T20I squad since December 2024, following the tour of South Africa. Despite captaining the team in the previous T20 World Cup, he did not feature in subsequent series against New Zealand and Bangladesh.

During a press conference in Lahore, Aaqib Javed made it clear that no player, including Babar, has been ruled out, and selections will be based on merit and current form. He emphasized that performance will be the deciding factor in team composition.

Pakistan's focus has shifted towards nurturing young talents after their disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. Salman Ali Agha led a young squad in recent tours to New Zealand and Bangladesh, where Pakistan secured a clean sweep against Bangladesh after a challenging series in New Zealand.

Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has taken over as the head coach of Pakistan's white-ball teams and is keen on testing emerging players in the upcoming series against the West Indies. The objective is to build a strong team for future competitions, including the next World Cup.

Despite the current strategy, sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suggest that Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen could still be considered if needed. Babar, in the meantime, has signed with the Sydney Sixers for his debut season in Australia's Big Bash League, with the PCB granting him permission to participate in the tournament.