Will Babar Azam's Absence Prove Costly For Pakistan In Asia Cup Match Vs India?

Babar Azam is not a part of PAK Asia Cup squad [Source: AFP]

The sixth group-stage match of the Asia Cup 2025 will witness a riveting contest between India and Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Both teams won their respective first matches and would like to capitalise on the momentum. 

Talking about Pakistan, the two-time Asia Cup champions are without their premier batter Babar Azam for the ongoing edition of the tournament. As they gear up for the clash, let's analyse and find out if the absence of a player of Babar's calibre hampers their chances against their arch-rivals. 

We have considered three parameters to find a logical answer to our question, as explained below. 

Babar Azam's T20I Record Vs India

(Babar Azam's modest numbers against India in T20Is)

• As evidenced by the above stats, Babar Azam hasn't been a prolific performer against India in T20 Internationals. While his career average reads an impressive 39.8, Babar has recorded a meagre 26.25 runs per game when he has taken on India. 
• Barring a game-changing half-century, Babar hasn't done anything significant against Pakistan's arch-rivals. Thus, his past record suggests that Babar hasn't been a force to reckon with the bat against India in the shortest format. 

Babar Azam's Recent T20 Form

(A comparison of Babar Azam's T20I record before and after 2024)

• Babar Azam was phenomenal as a T20I batter in the early phase of his career. Before 2024, the stylish right-hander amassed 3485 runs at an average of 41.5 and a strike rate of 128.4 in the shortest format. 
• However, although he batted with a more positive intent, Babar's consistency was hampered in the post-2024 era. So, given he has not been at his best in T20Is of late, we doubt he could've emerged as a key player for Pakistan against India. 

Pakistan's Top-Order With And Without Babar Azam

(Pakistan top-order with and without Babar)

• The data presented in the above table shows that Pakistan's top-order has been more aggressive in the absence of Babar Azam, as evidenced by the increase in their combined strike rate since the former captain's last T20I match. 
• A sharp increase in the boundary runs percentage highlights the aggressive intent from the Pakistan's new set of top-order batters, who are more likely to unsettle the Indian attack with a fearless style of play. 

Conclusion

So, considering Babar's middling recent form, poor track record against India in T20Is and little impact of his absence on Pakistan's overall top-order batting performance, we reckon he won't be a huge miss for the Men in Green in the Asia Cup encounter. 

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