Mohammad Nawaz: “Azam Khan is a very good cricketer [who] has proved himself over the past two to three years”
Image courtesy of: Pakistan Super League
Pakistan spinner Mohammad Nawaz said wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan has proved himself for the past two to three years.
He added that Azam, who is the son of former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Moin Khan, is a “very good cricketer”.
His comments come after Azam, who has lost 30 kilograms, received his maiden call-up to the Pakistan T20 side for the upcoming tours of England and the West Indies.
The talented youngster has been turning heads with his performances in domestic cricket.
In the Pakistan Cup, the 22-year-old accumulated 186 runs in seven games for Sindh, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 46.50 and a strike-rate of 124.83.
As for the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL), he scored 174 runs in 10 matches for the Quetta Gladiators, which includes a top score of 47, at an average of 17.40 and a strike-rate of 133.84.
Despite his efforts, the Gladiators failed to qualify for the playoffs as they only won two of their 10 games.
“Azam Khan is a very good cricketer [who] has proved himself over the past two to three years,” Nawaz, who played alongside Azam for the Gladiators, told Cricket Pakistan.
Nawaz featured in nine PSL matches and took six wickets at an average of 32.50 and an economy rate of 7.50.
He also scored 109 runs at an average of 15.57 and a strike-rate of 123.86.
Pakistan will play three ODIs and three T20 Internationals against England. The ODI series will begin on July 8 and conclude on July 13, while the T20 series will be held from July 16 to 20.
The tour of the West Indies will consist of five T20 Internationals and two Tests, with the T20 series getting underway on July 27 and ending on August 3.
As for the Test series, it will start on August 12 and conclude on August 24.
Pakistan Test Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dhani, Yasir Shah (subject to fitness) and Zahid Mahmood
Pakistan ODI Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Agha Salman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Qadir
Pakistan T20 Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan and Usman Qadir