In a very recent interview, Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam revealed his best World T20 playing eleven. Surprisingly, two Indians make it to his playing eleven. The lineup starts with Rohit Sharma at the top, one of India's most prolific run-getters in white-ball cricket. Rohit is followed by Babar's opening partner, Mohammed Rizwan, and Fakhar Zaman at number three, often considered one of the most feared batters in Pakistan cricket. 

India's Mr 360, Suryakumar Yadav, finds himself fourth on the list. With the top order complete, Babar then names his pick for the middle order. Starting with England's Jos Buttler, his middle order features two Protea greats, David Miller and Marco Jansen at number six and seven respectively. Down to the lower order, Babar picked up Afghanistan's ace spinner Rashid Khan at number eight and Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Mark Wood at positions nine, ten, and eleven, respectively. 

See also: Bangladesh suffer major setback in latest T20I rankings – Is this their lowest point in cricketing history?

All in all, Babar's World T20 playing XI includes two players from India, Pakistan, South Africa, England, and Australia, and one solitary player from Afghanistan. There is no mention of any players from other countries such as the West Indies, Sri Lanka, or Bangladesh. His lineup features four quick bowlers, six frontline batters, and only one spinner. Jansen, Rashid, and Cummins form the core of his middle order. Understandably, he omitted himself from his own playing eleven. 

Watch the video here:

Babar Azam picked his World T20i 11. And he started with Rohit Sharma. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eHmLk5meTP

— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) May 31, 2025

Pakistan's form in the shortest format has plummeted big time in recent times. Following their disappointing exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, their woes have been further compounded when they lost to New Zealand's second-string team by a margin of 4-1. The Green Shirts have slipped to the eighth position in the ICC rankings. However, they have got a chance to make amends in their ongoing home series against Bangladesh, where they are currently leading 2-0 with a game to spare.