Wasim Akram: “If your captain says I’ve been scoring runs, let me try Haider Ali as an opener and I’ll bat at three in a couple of games – this shows that your captain is ready to sacrifice. This is what Babar Azam has to learn”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary Pakistan left-arm seamer Wasim Akram has called on Babar Azam to start making sacrifices as captain.
The Sultan of Swing suggested that Azam drop down to number three in T20Is and give big-hitting youngster Haider Ali a chance to open the batting.
Wasim noted that such decisions would show that the 28-year-old is willing to try new things as captain.
“If your captain says I’ve been scoring runs, let me try Haider Ali as an opener and I’ll bat at three in a couple of games – this shows that your captain is ready to sacrifice. This is what Babar Azam has to learn,” he said on The Pavilion on A Sports as quoted by Cricwick.
Wasim’s desire to see Azam learn to make sacrifices comes at a time when rumours have been rife about the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wanting to split the captaincy.
Currently, Azam leads Pakistan in all three formats, but that may no longer be the case in the near future, especially considering that batsman Shan Masood’s name has already popped up as his potential successor in ODIs.
The pressure on the incumbent Pakistan skipper has been further amplified by the team’s disastrous home season, where they lost 3-0 in a Test series to England, drew 0-0 in a Test series against New Zealand and lost 2-1 in a three-match ODI series to the Black Caps.
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