Mohammad Amir: “There was video made in the dressing room where Babar told Nawaz he was a match-winner. After that, it was hard to judge whether he played as a batsman or a bowler. It shows you don’t trust your player. If you’re saying something, you should act on it”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir said captain Babar Azam doesn’t trust spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz.
Explaining why, he pointed out that Azam called Nawaz a match-winner after the opening game of the T20 World Cup, where the men in green suffered a heartbreaking last-ball loss against arch-rivals India.
Following that, Amir feels that it was tough to tell whether Nawaz’s role was that of a batsman or a bowler.
“Our bowling has been the best in this tournament; no one could attack us. But yes, I can’t understand Nawaz’s case. After the first match against India, there was [a] video made in the dressing room where Babar told Nawaz he was a match-winner. After that, it was hard to judge whether he played as a batsman or a bowler,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
“It shows you don’t trust your player. If you’re saying something, you should act on it. Nawaz bowls the first over in PSL. He has won matches on his own. He could’ve done something. I couldn’t understand the decision.
“Harry Brook was struggling against Shadab. Nawaz could’ve done something there. But then again, they will say that I criticise a lot. The captain should be brave. You didn’t take brave decisions, and when you lose, these things are visible.”
Nawaz took three wickets in seven T20 World Cup matches at an average of 22.33 and an economy rate of 7.44.
He also scored 68 runs at an average of 13.60 and a strike-rate of 106.25.
Pakistan made it to the final in the tournament, but lost to England by five wickets.
Their next assignment will be a three-Test series against England, which will take place in Pakistan in December.
Pakistan’s Squad for England Test Series: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Ali, Shan Masood, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Saud Shakeel, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed