Asif Iqbal: “Leading in limited overs games can be extremely draining, and Babar is Pakistan’s best batter and therefore needs to be properly handled”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal said current skipper Babar Azam has to be looked after properly as it can be “extremely draining” leading the national team in limited overs cricket.
Azam captains the men in green in all three formats, but knowing that the 28-year-old is Pakistan’s best batsman, Asif insisted there is a need to ensure he is “properly handled”.
This is to ensure his performances don’t drop. If this were to happen, it would have dire consequences for the entire Pakistan team.
“Leading in limited overs games can be extremely draining, and Babar is Pakistan’s best batter and therefore needs to be properly handled,” Asif told Dawn as quoted by Cricwick.
In the recent five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Azam made 130 runs, which included a century, at an average of 43.33 and a strike-rate of 146.07. His efforts weren’t enough though as the series ended as a 2-2 draw.
He followed that up with scores of 49 and 65 in the first two ODIs, which Pakistan won.
The third ODI of the five-match series will be played on Wednesday in Karachi.
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