Qasim Akram: “I idolise Babar Azam as a batter”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Former Pakistan Under-19 skipper Qasim Akram said he idolises national team captain Babar Azam due to his outstanding performances with the bat.
Qasim is thought to be a future star as he is an all-rounder with a significant amount of potential.
In this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL), the 19-year-old scored 99 runs in five matches for the Karachi Kings, which included a top score of 51 not out, at an average of 33 and a strike-rate of 154.68.
He also took one wicket at an average of 18 and an economy rate of nine.
As for the Pakistan Cup, he amassed 285 runs in 10 games for Central Punjab, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 28.50.
In regards to his bowling, he finished with 10 wickets at an average of 34.60.
“I idolise Babar Azam as a batter,” he told the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) website.
Azam is currently in Sri Lanka, where he will be captaining Pakistan in their upcoming two-Test series, which begins on July 16 in Galle.
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka Tests:Â Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood and Yasir Shah