Pakistan batting star Babar Azam has withdrawn from the ongoing National T20 Championship in Peshawar to work on correcting flaws in his batting technique.
Team management advised him to skip the domestic event and dedicate time to training before the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) begins on March 26.
Babar, once ranked top in ICC charts across formats, has struggled to regain his old form since 2024. He was dropped from the final Super Eight match against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup, which India won, and later excluded from the away ODI series against Bangladesh.
Although his name appeared in the Lahore Whites squad, sources confirmed he will not play in the National T20. Instead, he is working privately with coaches to address technical issues. The Pakistan Cricket Board has not disclosed the names of the coaches assisting him.
Babar will return to competitive cricket in the PSL, where he will open the batting for Peshawar Zalmi. His decision reflects a shift in priorities, focusing on long-term performance rather than immediate participation in domestic tournaments.
Since 2020, Babar has largely avoided domestic competitions outside the PSL. He also skipped two first-class matches last year despite struggling for form. His absence from the National T20 underscores the seriousness of his current training phase.
