Wasim Akram: “Trades are very common in league cricket. It’s not my team, it’s the owner’s team”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Iconic Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram said he was not responsible for the Karachi Kings’ decision to trade Babar Azam to the Peshawar Zalmi prior to this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Azam, who captains Pakistan in all three formats, led the Zalmi in PSL 8 and finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the competition with 522 runs in 11 matches, which included a century and five fifties, at an average of 52.20 and a strike-rate of 145.40.
Wasim, who is the Kings’ president, made it clear that the move to trade the 28-year-old star batsman was done by the team owner and had nothing to do with him.
“Trades are very common in league cricket. It’s not my team, it’s the owner’s team,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
After being rested for Pakistan’s 2-1 loss to Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series, Azam will now lead the men in green in their white-ball series against New Zealand. The series will begin on April 14 and comprise five T20Is and five ODIs.
Pakistan squad for T20I series against New Zealand:Â Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zaman Khan
Pakistan squad for ODI series against New Zealand:Â Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir