Wasim Akram: “At Karachi Kings I requested Babar Azam once or twice nicely to bat at number 3, so we can send Martin Guptill to open as we are not performing. He said, I won’t do it, so we had to send Sharjeel Khan at number 3”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary Pakistan left-arm seamer Wasim Akram has revealed that he asked captain Babar Azam to bat at number three for the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), but he flat-out refused.
Wasim recalled asking Azam once or twice nicely in order to let New Zealand big-hitter Martin Guptill open the batting.
Since the 28-year-old didn’t want to give up his opening spot, the Kings ended up moving Sharjeel Khan to number three.
“At Karachi Kings I requested Babar Azam once or twice nicely to bat at number 3, so we can send Martin Guptill to open as we are not performing. He said, I won’t do it, so we had to send Sharjeel Khan at number 3,” Wasim was quoted as saying by respected journalist Saj Sadiq on Twitter.
Azam is no longer part of the Kings as he was traded to the Peshawar Zalmi for Pakistan power-hitter Haider Ali and veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik.
PSL 8 will take place in Pakistan from February to March 2023.
Currently, Azam is leading Pakistan in their three-Test series against England.
He scored a brilliant 136 in the first Test in Rawalpindi, which came off 168 balls and included 19 boundaries and a six.
In the ongoing second Test in Multan, he struck 75 in the first innings, which came off 95 deliveries and included 10 boundaries and a six.
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, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Saud Shakeel, Zahid Mahmood, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed