Dale Steyn: “Babar is a wonderful player”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Iconic South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn said Pakistan captain Babar Azam is a “wonderful player” who “has been fantastic for the last couple of years”.
The 26-year-old has featured in 31 Tests and scored 2,167 runs, which includes five centuries and 16 fifties, at an average of 44.22.
He has also played 77 ODIs and accumulated 3,580 runs, which includes 12 hundreds and 16 half-centuries, at an average of 55.93.
As for his T20 International career, Azam has amassed 1,730 runs in 47 games, which includes 16 fifties, at an average of 48.05.
Azam had been representing the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) before the tournament was postponed indefinitely on Thursday due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
He was the second-highest run-scorer with 258 runs in five matches, which included three half-centuries, at an average of 86 and a strike-rate of 138.70.
“Babar [Azam] is a great player,” Steyn told Cricket Pakistan. “Babar is a wonderful player and it would be a great opportunity to try to get him out or bowl against him. But you never know, I might not even get to bowl at him because it’s only four overs or he might get a duck, who knows but he has been fantastic for the last couple of years.”
The 37-year-old was playing for the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL and claimed four wickets in three matches at an average of 24.50 and an economy rate of 9.18.