Shahid Afridi: “I backed him to score big in coming matches”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Iconic Pakistan six-hitter Shahid Afridi has backed former captain Babar Azam to “score big” in the team’s upcoming matches.
Azam had not been in the best of form coming into the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, but started showing signs of his consistency throughout the tournament as he finished with 320 runs in nine matches, which included four half-centuries, at an average of 40.
With Pakistan now set to tour Australia in December, Afridi firmly believes the 29-year-old will break out of his shell and post big scores.
“I backed him to score big in coming matches,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
The men in green began their World Cup campaign with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before suffering defeats at the hands of India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Finding themselves in a spot of bother, Pakistan kept their hopes of advancing to the semi-finals alive with victories over Bangladesh and New Zealand.
However, they were unable to advance to the final four and ended up losing their last group stage game against 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
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