Babar Azam on Virat Kohli: “He is one of the best players”
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Pakistan captain Babar Azam has backed India superstar Virat Kohli, calling him one of the best batsmen in the world.
Kohli has gone through a tough time with the bat over the past couple of years, which has led to him being heavily criticised.
However, Azam showed his support for the 33-year-old through a kind-hearted post on Twitter, where he told Kohli to keep pushing forward and weathering the storm.
The former India captain was back to his best in the Asia Cup as he hammered 276 runs in five matches, which included a career-best 122 not out, at an average of 92 and a strike-rate of 147.59.
However, his form cooled down during the three-match T20 series against Australia as he mustered 76 runs, which included a top score of 63, at an average of 25.33 and a strike-rate of 124.59.
Nonetheless, Azam hopes his small gesture of kindness will help Kohli out going forward.
“I just tweeted thinking that it will give just some support. He is one of the best players,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
The 27-year-old is now leading the men in green in their seven-match T20 series against England, where he has amassed 281 runs in six matches, which includes a century and a fifty, at an average of 70.25 and a strike-rate of 144.10.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a T20 tri-series against New Zealand and Bangladesh in Christchurch from October 7 to 14.
Pakistan also announced their team for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, which will begin on October 16.
Pakistan’s Squad for England Series: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Haider Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Aamer Jamal, Iftikhar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Haris, Khushdil Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir, Abrar Ahmed
Pakistan’s 2022 T20 World Cup squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani
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