‘Babar Azam asked me if I wanted to retire’ – Shoaib Malik reveals his shocking chat with PAK skipper during 2021 T20 WC 

Mohammad Rizwan anchored the Pakistan batting till the fifteenth over in almost every single game of the 2022 Asia Cup as Babar and Fakhar didn’t hit form at all. Though Rizwan playing safe worked brilliantly in the first few games, his over-cautious approach cost PAK the final against Sri Lanka. 

Babar and Md. Rizwan often try to save their wickets as a toothless middle-order leaves them with no other choice. People have opined axing Shoaib Malik from 2022 Asia Cup was a blunder and that his experience is needed for them to bat freely. 

Interestingly, amidst all this, shocking details of a conversation between Babar and Malik have shot up. 

The shocking chat between Babar and Shoaib Malik

In a six-month old video with Cricket Pakistan that has now gone viral, Malik had revealed that during the 2021 T20WC, Babar had talked to him about his retirement. 

The starting revelation from Shoaib Malik has taken the internet by storm:

“I talked to Babar Azam. He asked me if I wanted to retire when we were at the T20 World Cup (2021).”

“See, there should be a transparent conversation on these things. Everyone should know what I want. I’ve played for so many years, I think I deserve that much. There must be some clarity on what the board (PCB) wants and what the player wants”.

In the viral conversation, Shoaib Malik had laid stress on the importance of clarity regarding selection between the player (Malik himself), the Pakistan Cricket Board, and skipper Babar Azam. 

Babar Azam had asked him about his availability in the future to which Shoaib Malik had replied, “If you want me to play selected matches or series, I want you to communicate that to me. If you think I can play longer, I’m available.” 

Babar had informed Malik that he was rested for the Bangladesh T20Is that followed the previous T20WC.

However, the 40-year-old middle-order batsman didn’t get any clarity over his axing from the squad that played a one-off T20I against Australia.

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In the past, arguments have been reported between Babar Azam and PCB over the Pakistan skipper wanting senior players in the team. 

Therefore, the reason for the exclusion of Shoaib Malik from the 2022 Asia Cup may have been PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) looking to groom future players. Or maybe Babar is moving on.