Babar Azam: “We are giving him confidence and support so hopefully he will perform well in future”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Pakistan Twenty20 captain Babar Azam is backing opening batsman Sharjeel Khan to shine in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Azam and Sharjeel are both playing for the Karachi Kings in the tournament.

In the team’s opening game against the Peshawar Zalmi on Friday, Sharjeel scored 19 runs off 11 balls, which included a boundary and two sixes, while Azam made 78, which came off 56 balls and included seven boundaries and two sixes.

Azam was named Man of the Match as the Kings defeated the Zalmi by 10 runs.

Sharjeel is making his comeback in the tournament after serving two-and-a-half years of a five-year ban for being involved in a spot-fixing scandal in the 2017 edition of the PSL.

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“Sharjeel Khan made a good start, but unfortunately got out without making a big score,” Azam was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan. “However, if you look at his few shots today, he looked in the same touch as he was when he left.

“Obviously, there is pressure if you are making a comeback after two-and-a-half years, but we are giving him confidence and support so hopefully he will perform well in future.”

The Kings’ next match will be against the Quetta Gladiators, who are the defending champions, in Karachi on Sunday.

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