Why is Babar Azam Not Batting at No. 3 in PAK vs AUS 1st T20I?

The much-awaited Australia tour of Pakistan for a three-match T20I series finally kicked off, with the first match being played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on January 29. Pakistan skipper Salman Agha won the toss and asked Australia to bowl first.

The home team started horribly after losing their star opener, Sahibzada Farhan, on the very first ball of the match. Many expected that Babar Azam would come to bat next, but that didn't happen.

Why is Babar Azam Not Batting at No 3?

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam surprisingly didn't come to bat at No. 3 during the Pakistan vs Australia 1st T20I in Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, one of the renowned cricket stadiums in Pakistan. Skipper Salman Ali Agha himself went to bat after the fall of first wicket, surprising the Pakistani fans.

The decision to send Salman to bat ahead of Babar could be an experiment to try new batting combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. Interestingly, Babar has played as an opener and at the No. 3 batting position as well in his T20I career, but it's very rare to see him playing at the No. 4 spot.

However, Babar Azam batting position experiment didn't really work for the Men in Green as the right-handed batter could only score 24 runs off 20 balls, including a four and a six. Salman Ali Agha did score 39 runs, but he slowed down as the innings progressed, batting at a strike rate of 144.44.

Babar Azam's Embarrassing BBL Outing

Babar Azam, one of the best batsmen in the world, was recently a part of the iconic Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Sydney Sixers, where he was seen playing as an opener alongside Steve Smith. However, the star batter didn't have a great time in the tournament, scoring only 202 runs in 11 matches at an average of around 22.

But the most concerning thing about his batting was his strike rate, which was just 103.06, one of the lowest in the recently concluded BBL 2025-26. The star batter left the team midway due to national assignments.

However, the concern about his strike rate continued in the national team as well after another slow knock during the PAK vs AUS 1st T20I, where he batted at a strike rate of just 120. It would be interesting to see how Babar will perform at the new batting spot, especially during the T20 World Cup 2026.