T20 World Cup 2026: 'There has to be an honest conversation with Babar Azam' - Former India batter after stalwart's snub in PAK vs SL

Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the team management to have an honest conversation with Babar Azam about his future in T20Is. His remarks came after the former Pakistan captain and star batter was dropped from the playing XI for the Men in Green's important fixture against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Saturday, February 28.

Pakistan needed to beat Sri Lanka by 65 runs or more to qualify for the semi-final after Dasun Shanaka won the toss and opted to field first. Salman Ali Agha's men posted 212/8 on the back of a glorious 176-run opening partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman. In the second innings, Pavan Rathnayake scored a gutsy half-century before Shanaka hit a whirlwind 76 off 31 balls, but it was not enough to take Sri Lanka home. Pakistan won the match by five runs, but it wasn't enough for them to clear the Super 8 stage.

"There has to be an honest conversation with Babar Azam. If he is not in the team's plans going forward, that message needs to come clearly from the management. He needs to know where he stands," Pujara said while speaking on Star Sports.

Babar finished his T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with 91 runs from four innings at an average of 22.75 and a strike rate of 112.35. Pujara opined that it would be unfair to put all the blame on Babar, as it was a collective failure for the former champions.

"It would be unfair to place all the blame on Babar. There is a lot of focus on him, but ultimately, it is the unit that has failed. The middle order needs serious attention, and that has to be addressed," he said.

New Zealand made it to the semi-final alongside England following Pakistan's narrow win against Sri Lanka. South Africa are the other team to reach the last-four stage of the competition. The last semi-final spot will be taken by either the West Indies or India, who lock horns at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Sunday, March 1.