Waqar Younis: “The way Babar Azam is playing is there for all to see and the whole world is quite rightly praising him. He’s the best batsman in the world”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis said “the whole world is quite rightly praising” captain Babar Azam.
Azam 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 80 ODIs and accumulated 3,808 runs, which includes 13 hundreds and 17 half-centuries, at an average of 55.93.
As for his T20 International career, Azam has amassed 1,940 runs in 51 games, which includes a century and 17 fifties, at an average of 48.50.
Azam recently overtook India captain Virat Kohli as the new number one batsman in ODI cricket and scored his maiden T20 International century against South Africa.
The 26-year-old made scores of 103, 31 and 94 in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, giving him a total of 228 runs at an average of 76.
As for the T20 series, he made 14 and 50 in the first two matches before hammering a career-best 122, which came off 59 balls and included 15 boundaries and four sixes, in the third T20 International.
In the fourth game, he was dismissed for 24 and thus finished with 210 runs in four matches at an average of 52.50 and a strike-rate of 143.83.
Given how well Azam has performed, Waqar believes he is the “best batsman in the world”.
“The way Babar Azam is playing is there for all to see and the whole world is quite rightly praising him. He’s the best batsman in the world and if he keeps working hard and continues his efforts and continues to improve he will just get better and better,” he was quoted as saying by PakPassion.
“My well wishes are with him. We always tell him how good he is and my hope is that he continues to serve Pakistan.”
Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1 and the T20 series that followed 3-1.
They will now play three T20 Internationals and two Tests against Zimbabwe, with the T20 series beginning on Wednesday.