Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan: “I wasn’t getting enough chances to perform behind the stumps in Quetta, and it was Islamabad who gave me the opportunity to play with the gloves on. I’m enjoying that a lot”
Image courtesy of: Pakistan Super League
Exciting Pakistan prospect Azam Khan said the Quetta Gladiators didn’t give him enough chances to “perform behind the stumps”.
The 23-year-old, who is the son of former Pakistan captain and Gladiators head coach Moin Khan, was the back-up wicketkeeper to Sarfaraz Ahmed, who captains the franchise.
Unhappy with his situation, he was traded to Islamabad United ahead of PSL 7.
Azam admitted he is enjoying a lot more with his new team as he is the first-choice wicketkeeper.
“I wasn’t getting enough chances to perform behind the stumps in Quetta, and it was Islamabad who gave me the opportunity to play with the gloves on. I’m enjoying that a lot,” he told ESPNcricinfo as quoted by Cricwick.
In PSL 7, he scored 296 runs in 12 games, which included two fifties, at an average of 29.60 and a strike-rate of 141.62.
Even though he had a solid season, the talented power-hitter wasn’t picked for Pakistan’s ongoing white-ball series against Australia.
The three-match ODI series is currently tied at 1-1, with the third and final match to be played on Saturday.
Pakistan’s ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir
Pakistan’s T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir