Babar Azam: “I hope that he becomes one of the best openers in the world”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan captain Babar Azam said there is no reason why Abdullah Shafique cannot cement his reputation as one of the best openers in the world.
Shafique has featured in seven Tests to date and done brilliantly as he has scored 736 runs, which includes two centuries and four fifties, at an average of 66.90.
With the 22-year-old having shown so much promise and brimming with potential, Azam sees him going all the way to the very top.
“I hope that he becomes one of the best openers in the world,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam was in action for the men in green in their seven-match T20 series against England, where he accumulated 285 runs, which included a century and a fifty, at an average of 57 and a strike-rate of 143.21.
The men in green will now be on their way to New Zealand for a T20 tri-series that will also include Bangladesh. All the games will be played in Christchurch from October 7 to 14.
Pakistan also announced their team for the 2022 T20 World Cup, which will take place in Australia and begin on October 16.
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