Umar Gul: “I think Babar Azam has total control over the team”
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Umar Gul, the former pace bowler, said Pakistan captain Babar Azam “has total control over the team.”
He noted that the 28-year-old is the undisputed leader as it seems that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have backed him to continue leading the side going forward.
Earlier in 2023, there was speculation that Azam could share the captaincy with another player, but nothing came to fruition.
As a result, Gul thinks that the Lahore-born batsman has strengthened his grip on the leadership role.
“I think Babar Azam has total control over the team,” the 40-year-old from Peshawar told Cricket Pakistan.
Azam recently scored 76 runs in two Test matches against Sri Lanka at an average of 25.33.
He then proceeded to make 113 runs in three ODIs against Afghanistan, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 37.66.
He is now leading Pakistan in the Asia Cup, where he started by scoring a fabulous 151 in the team’s 238-run win over Nepal.
Azam then featured in Pakistan’s clash against India, but didn’t get to bat as the match was abandoned due to rain after the men in blue scored 266 in their innings.
Despite this, the men in green advanced to the Super Four stage and will now face Bangladesh on September 6 in Lahore.
Following this, they will take on India once again on September 10.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 Asia Cup:Â Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir