Aleem Dar: “Babar is also performing well but if there is no teamwork and you are performing well [individually] or doing captaincy [is not that important] and hence I believe having a good team [performance] is the most important thing”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Aleem Dar, the famous cricket umpire, said Pakistan captain Babar Azam is “performing well” at the moment but it means nothing if he is not being supported by his teammates.
He noted that other players need to step up and make their presence felt as the men in green have a tendency on relying on a few key players, such as Azam.
With a number of key tournaments coming up, including the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India, Pakistan will need to have all their cricketers firing on all cylinders if they want to do well.
“Babar is also performing well but if there is no teamwork and you are performing well [individually] or doing captaincy [is not that important] and hence I believe having a good team [performance] is the most important thing,” Dar was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam recently led Pakistan in their two-Test series against Sri Lanka, where he amassed 76 runs at an average of 25.33.
Having won that series 2-0, Pakistan will now go up against Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series, which will take place in Sri Lanka from August 22 to 26.
They will then feature in the Asia Cup, which will be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 17.
Pakistan Squad for Afghanistan ODI Series and 2023 Asia Cup:Â Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel (Afghanistan series only), Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr