PAK vs NAM: Why did Babar Azam not come to bat in match 35 of T20 World Cup 2026?
Pakistan must win against Namibia to secure their Super 8 qualification.
In a crucial T20 World Cup 2026 Group Stage clash at Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo, Pakistan posted a formidable 199/3 against Namibia after winning the toss and electing to bat first.
Sahibzada Farhan starred with a magnificent maiden T20I century, scoring 100 off 58 balls, including 11 fours and 4 sixes, becoming only the second Pakistani batter to achieve this feat in the tournament’s history, after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014.
Pakistan started steadily, reaching 40/0 in five overs, but lost opener Saim Ayub for 14 to Jack Brassell. Captain Salman Ali Agha and Farhan built a solid 67-run stand, with Agha smashing a six and four before chipping to mid-off to the Namibian skipper.
Shadab Khan’s quick-fire cameo of 22 runs from just 8 balls helped Pakistan set up a target of 200. Unlike previous matches where Namibia bowled well in the death overs, against Pakistan, they conceded 66 runs in the last five.
The Men in Green will now hope for a strong finish and confirm their place in the final eight, having missed out on qualification last time around. However, in the middle of this, a surprising thing happened during Pakistan’s batting.
Why did Babar Azam not come to bat against Namibia?
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has batted at No. 4 for Pakistan in this T20 World Cup. However, Babar did not come to bat against Namibia despite playing in the match.
After a splendid partnership between Farhan and Agha, instead of sending Babar, the Pakistani management sent Khawaja Nafay, who is playing only his third T20I match. This is also his first game in the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan already had a great platform with 107/1 being their score at the end of 12 overs. Not sending Babar was a tactical decision. Azam tends to take time to get off the blocks, and Pakistan was in search of a flurry of boundaries to end their innings on a high.
Moreover, Babar holds the record for the joint-lowest Strike Rate in T20 World Cup history (111.81) for batters scoring a minimum of 500 runs.
While the experiment with Nafay failed, Shadab Khan’s promotion worked wonders, as the all-rounder smashed two sixes in the final over to take Pakistan to a winning total.
Why did Babar Azam not come to bat against Namibia?
Babar was held back tactically, as Pakistan wanted quicker scoring at the death, given his tendency to take time settling in.
Who was Pakistan’s standout performer against Namibia?
Sahibzada Farhan starred with a 100 off 58 balls, anchoring the innings and setting up a target of 200.
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Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.