Would always have Babar in team: Arthur

He also praised Rizwan's versatility and wicketkeeping skills

Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has expressed strong support for star batter and former skipper Babar Azam, describing him as "absolute class" despite the player's ongoing exclusion from the national T20I squad. In a recent interview with a local sports platform, Mickey Arthur made his position clear, stating that he would always include Babar in his playing XI.

"It's an interesting one. I would always have Babar Azam in the team," Arthur said.

"I think he's a wonderful player. I'm not sure what's happened over the past couple of years, but the Babar I know is absolute class," he added.

The 57-year-old, who coached Pakistan during one of its most successful white-ball eras, also praised Mohammad Rizwan's versatility and wicketkeeping skills.

"If Rizwan is your best wicketkeeper, then he has a role to play," he said.

"He can adapt his game to fit wherever the team needs him. It's about making the most of his abilities," he added.

It is pertinent to mention that the right-handed batter, who led Pakistan in three ICC Men's T20 World Cups (2021, 2022, and 2024), last played a T20I match for Pakistan in December 2024.

He was notably left out of the recent series against New Zealand in March as well.

The 30-year-old faced a challenging period in the format, failing to score a half-century since his 75-run innings against Ireland in May 2024.

Despite this, Babar's overall T20I record remains impressive, with 4,223 runs from 128 matches at an average of 39.83, including three centuries and 36 half-centuries.

Earlier this year, the right-handed batter, alongside wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, was left out of the five-match T20I series in New Zealand.

The selection committee defended this move as an effort to provide opportunities for younger talent. Since then, both Babar and Rizwan have not been included in T20I squads, including the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh starting May 28 in Lahore. In a further shake-up, Mohammad Rizwan was also stripped of the T20I captaincy after just two series, with Salman Ali Agha stepping in as the new captain.

The upcoming series will also mark Pakistan's first international assignment under newly appointed white-ball head coach Mike Hesson.

Originally, Bangladesh were scheduled to arrive in Pakistan in two groups on May 21 for a five-match T20I series, with the first game planned for May 25 in Faisalabad.

However, due to logistical challenges and evolving security concerns, the series has been revised to three matches, all to be played in Lahore.