Sarfraz Nawaz: “We have a settled side and Babar Azam is leading them well”
Image courtesy of: Unsplash
Former Pakistan fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz believes Babar Azam had been doing a great job as captain and no changes should have been made as the men in green had a “settled side.”
Azam stepped down as captain in all three formats following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
The 29-year-old had also not been at his best with the bat over the past couple of months, which further fuelled the critics calling for his removal from the leadership role.
However, Nawaz threw his support behind the Lahore-born batsman, insisting that he should have stayed on as captain.
“We have a settled side and Babar Azam [was] leading them well,” he was quoted as saying by NDTV.
In the World Cup, Azam amassed 320 runs in nine matches, which included four fifties, at an average of 40.
The men in green started the tournament with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before things started to go downhill as they lost their next four matches to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
They fought back to beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, but failed to advance to the semi-finals.
In their last group stage game, Pakistan succumbed to a 93-run defeat at the hands of England.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali
[TS_Poll id=”100″]