T20 World Cup 2026 Star Sahibzada Farhan Once Begged Babar Azam For His Opening Spot

Sahibzada Farhan and Babar Azam [Source: X]

Sahibzada Farhan, the current top-scorer of the T20 World Cup 2026, has now been making headlines because of his potential to break Virat Kohli’s record in T20 World Cups for being the highest run-scorer. Farhan has been phenomenal so far in this tournament, with 220 runs from his four appearances.

However, Sahibzada Farhan had to struggle once for his batting position. A recent viral video from 2024 has now emerged, with the clip showing Farhan begging the Pakistan team management and potentially Babar Azam to give him his opening spot, where he plays his best cricket.

Sahibzada Farhan's Dismal Form in 2024

An old video of Sahibzada Farhan during the Pakistan Tour of New Zealand 2023-24 has now gone viral. Farhan was seen begging to give him his opening spot in the five-match T20I series, where Saim Ayub and Babar Azam occupied the top order for most of the matches.

The first T20I against New Zealand saw Sahibzada Farhan sit out of the match, with Saim Ayub and Mohammad Rizwan opening and Babar Azam coming in at No. 3. 

The second T20I also saw Sahibzada Farhan absent from the Playing XI. The third T20I again saw Mohammad Rizwan preferred over Sahibzada Farhan, despite Rizwan scoring low numbers in these three matches. 

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In the fourth T20I, however, although Rizwan was ecstatic with his 63-ball 90, Sahibzada Farhan was called into the Playing XI, where instead of giving him his opening spot, he was sent in at number five. 

With Saim Ayub and Mohammad Rizwan opening, Farhan scored only 1 run in that match, facing heavy criticism from fans and team management alike. In the fifth T20I too, Farhan was brought in much later and lower down the order at No. 7, as he scored just 19 runs from 14 deliveries.

Sahibzada Farhan's Video Of Begging For Batting Spot in 2024 Goes Viral

The string of low scores led to a disappointed Sahibzada Farhan appealing to the team management to call him back to his natural batting position as an opener, where he now averages 29.39 at a strike rate of 135.56 after appearing in 40 T20I matches. 

He also has one century and nine half-centuries as an opener for Pakistan, with the highest innings score of 100 runs.

“Since I am an opener, it would be great if I get a chance at my own batting position. You all know that I haven’t received opportunities at my preferred number the way others have (hinting at Saim Ayub).

I belong to this Pakistan team, and I also play domestic cricket, so I have the right to open for my team. The way I have been performing over the last three years, I hope I will get my rightful place,” Sahibzada Farhan said in the video.

SheR•ALI

@Sher__Ali

🚨 Throwback When Sahibzada Farhan Requested for opening position :- -But due to Babar and Rizwan's stubbornness, he had to play in the model order, where he flopped and was dropped, even then he said, "Play me on my number

Feb 21, 2026, 6:20 AM

The press conference speech was targeted at the Pakistan team management, while also hinting and appealing to Shaheen Afridi, the captain of Pakistan for that T20I series.

Later, after the New Zealand series, Sahibzada Farhan was also ignored as an opener against Australia on November 16, 2024, where he was pushed to No. 3, with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam opening for Pakistan. 

Farhan failed in that match too, scoring only 5 runs from 10 balls, with only Usman Khan being the most impactful batter in that match.

Farhan Bounces Back In Form As An Opener

Nevertheless, Sahibzada Farhan did not have to worry much, because after his genuine appeal, he was promoted as the opener for the remainder of 2024-25 leading into the T20 World Cup 2026. 

In the Zimbabwe vs Pakistan series in 2024-25, Sahibzada Farhan regained his opening spot, although he failed to make a mark. He came back strongly in the Pakistan vs Bangladesh series later, where he scored 75 runs while averaging 37.50, and also made his mark in the Pakistan tri-series in 2025, where he averaged 47.75 from his five appearances in that series.

As of now, Farhan remains one of the top contenders to be among the highest run-scorers of the T20 World Cup 2026 and potentially the highest run-scorer in the ICC tournament as well, surpassing Virat Kohli's record. 

The 29-year-old will next feature in the Pakistan vs New Zealand match on February 21 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo for their first Super 8 clash in the T20 World Cup 2026.

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