Pakistan legend and former selection committee member Mohammad Yousuf has revealed that he was forced to resign from his position due to disagreements over Babar Azam.
Mohammad Yousuf said that when he recommended giving Babar Azam some rest, he faced strong opposition and criticism from within the cricket community. He explained that everyone kept saying, “You will drop Babar, you will rest Babar.”
After ongoing tensions and resistance, Yousuf stated, “I told them, ‘I will resign, you do whatever you want.’”
He also went public with criticism of Babar’s recent performance, saying that the batter’s technique has declined and that he has not been able to regain consistent form over the last three years.
Yousuf said he believed a break for Babar, along with technical work at the academy, would help him return stronger to international cricket.
According to Yousuf, his resignation was initially not accepted, but after repeating it three times the board finally approved it.
Yousuf made the comments against the backdrop of Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where Pakistan suffered a heavy 61-run loss to India in Colombo, prompting widespread criticism of senior players.
This is not the first time Yousuf has spoken out about the state of Pakistan cricket. He has sharply criticized senior players including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan, saying their era has passed and that the national team urgently needs fresh performers.
He also said that relying on modest successes against weaker opponents will no longer be enough for Pakistan cricket’s future direction.
Check out the full interview here: