Mickey Arthur: “It is about everyone knowing that I and the rest of the management totally back Babar in whatever decision he takes and about everyone being there to watch each other’s back”
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Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan team director, has promised to back captain Babar Azam all the way “in whatever decision he takes.”
Arthur is determined to give the 28-year-old full control to make his own choices without any outside voices or potential repercussions.
By giving Azam full power, he hopes it will give the team more confidence as he knows the men in green have “immense talent” and are more than capable of beating any side.
“It is about everyone knowing that I and the rest of the management totally back Babar in whatever decision he takes and about everyone being there to watch each other’s back,” Arthur was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan. “And it is also about obviously going all the way and not holding back on the field. Pakistan has immense talent and on its day it can beat any team anywhere.”
Azam recently amassed 76 runs in two Test matches against Sri Lanka at an average of 25.33.
He subsequently went on to score 113 runs in three ODIs against Afghanistan, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 37.66.
He recently captained Pakistan in the Asia Cup, where he accumulated 207 runs in five matches, which includes a top score of 151, at an average of 51.75.
Pakistan began their campaign with a 238-run win over Nepal before they had to share one point apiece with India after their match was washed out.
Despite this, they advanced to the Super Fours and cruised past Bangladesh by seven wickets.
However, their brilliant run was brought to a screeching halt when India thrashed them by 228 runs.
Pakistan were on the hunt for a spot in the Asia Cup final when they took on Sri Lanka on September 14 in Colombo, but their hopes were dashed when they lost by two wickets via the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method (DLS) method.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 Asia Cup: 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, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir