Rizwan and Azam: Do they deserve punishment for opting out?
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been captains of the Pakistan National Cricket Team at one point in their careers. Thus, they are some of the biggest figures in Pakistan cricket, but their story takes a tragic turn in 2025. Both are now under controversy with a public outcry calling for the termination of their contracts.
Former professional cricketer, Sikander Bakht, is the most vocal figure on this topic. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have also been stern with both cricketers but have not responded to the request for their termination.
Do Rizwan and Azam deserve to be sacked for recent events? Here are different angles to ponder about the topic:
‘They are employees of the PCB’ - Sikander Bakht
Sikander Bakht is vocal in his distaste for Rizwan and Azam’s decision to opt out of the National T20 Cup. It is the biggest domestic T20 cricket league where all professional cricketers with contracts with the PCB are expected to participate. However, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were completely absent from training at their respective clubs.
Therefore, these two star cricketers are disrespecting the PCB, according to Bakht in his interview with Geo Super in March 2025. The former professional cricketer called PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to be strict about this matter. Bakht stressed that the punishment should be the cancellation of Rizwan and Azam’s contract.
What was going on with Rizwan and Azam?
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam weren’t always under fire. They were once celebrated athletes in the country, even becoming captains of the national team. However, they performed poorly in the 2025 ICC Champions Cup that they were not included in the T20I squad against New Zealand as of writing.
Azam is in a better situation of the two for his captaincy showcased positive results in the past. He may be blamed for the 2023 ODI World Cup disaster, but he had a good run from 2021 to 2023.
However, Azam had an inconsistent performance in the domestic league in 2024/25. His decision to withdraw was due to his decreasing performance and desire to rest and reserve his strength for more important international appearances. No matter his reason, he is still skipping an important competition where he’s expected to play under the PCB contract.
Mohammad Rizwan, on the other hand, experienced a humiliating season as the T20I captain in 2024/25. He was blamed for Pakistan’s winless campaign at the ICC Championship Trophy, which prompted the PCB to drop him as T20I captain. Following this decision, he announced that he wouldn’t play at the National T20 Cup as well.
Should PCB cancel their contract?
Bakht firmly believes that Mohsin Naqvi should terminate both Rizwan and Azam. In his point of view, these are two employees with significant salaries, so their deliberate absence is disrespectful to the PCB.
Fans are rightfully critical of Rizwan and Azam after their wavering performances. However, these are not grounds for termination. Plus, both players are still in the Pakistan Squad for the ODI Series against New Zealand. Thus, terminating them now is letting go of valuable assets in international events.
