Why Babar Azam is skipping National T20 event

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March 11, 2026 16:50 IST

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Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam is skipping the National T20 Championship to focus on correcting flaws in his batting technique in preparation for the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Photograph: Kind courtesy Babar Azam/X

IMAGE: Babar Azam will appear in the PSL 11 for Peshawar Zalmi and open the batting for them. Photograph: Babar Azam/X

Key Points

  • Babar Azam withdraws from the National T20 Championship to address flaws in his batting technique.
  • The decision was made in consultation with the team management to prepare Babar Azam for the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL).
  • Babar Azam, who will play for Peshawar Zalmi in PSL, aims to regain his top form after struggling since 2024.

Former Pakistan captain and batting star Babar Azam has opted out of the National T20 Championship to focus on correcting the "flaws in his technique" ahead of the Pakistan Super League starting March 26.

Dropped from the away one-day series against Bangladesh after a forgettable T20 World Cup, Babar's name was included in the Lahore Whites squad for the National T20 Championship currently underway in Peshawar.

 

Correcting batting flaws 

But it has emerged that he will not take part in the domestic competition and is instead working with some coaches on his batting.

There is no word on who these coaches are but a source close to the Pakistan Cricket Board said Babar and the team management had decided he should work on his "batting technique flaws" instead of playing in the national event.

Babar will appear in the PSL 11 for Peshawar Zalmi and open the batting for them.

The batter, who was once ranked top in the ICC charts in all formats, has struggled to repeat his old form since 2024 and was dropped from the final Super Eight match against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup that India won.

He has not played any domestic competition since 2020 aside from the PSL.

Babar had also skipped two first-class games in the premier red-ball domestic competition late last year despite struggling for form even at that time.