Aleem Dar Resigns After Pakistan’s T20 World Cup Exit, Dispute Over Babar and Shadab Selection Surfaces

February 04, 2026: The Pakistan cricket team returned to Lahore from Colombo on Sunday (March 1) after getting knocked out of the T20 World Cup. Within two days, senior selection committee member Aleem Dar resigned from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Reports say that Dar was not happy with the selection of Babar Azam and Shadab Khan in the T20 World Cup squad. He was also unhappy with the strong control given to head coach Mike Hesson in selection matters.

According to a source, Hesson insisted on picking Babar and Shadab even when Dar did not agree. Dar believed that both players were selected without strong recent performances. He also suggested that Mohammad Rizwan should be included instead of Usman Khan because of his experience. However, no other selector supported him.

Dar was also surprised that captain Salman Ali Agha and other selectors did not question Hesson’s decisions. As of now, his resignation has not yet been accepted.

Senior PCB selection committee member and ex-international umpire Aleem Dar has reportedly resigned from his post in the aftermath of the Pakistan team’s failure to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals.#T20WorldCup https://t.co/1yTe2UPToH

— Circle of Cricket (@circleofcricket) March 3, 2026

Babar Azam and Shadab Khan’s Form Before the T20 World Cup

Before the T20 World Cup, Babar Azam was not in good form. He played in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the Sydney Sixers. He scored 202 runs in 11 innings with a strike rate of 103.06, which was below his usual standard.

Shadab Khan was injured and had not played since June 2025 because of a shoulder injury. He returned directly to the squad for the series against Sri Lanka in January 2026.