Wasim Akram: “[You’re a] big player, take your money, play your game, get runs, go home, and then to the next event. Pakistan’s captaincy is alright, but the league brings extra stress without any reason”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary Pakistan left-arm seamer Wasim Akram has advised Babar Azam to quit as captain of the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Azam already resigned as Pakistan skipper in all three formats following the team’s dismal performance in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Now, Wasim wants the 29-year-old to do the same in the PSL as he feels leading the Zalmi is doing nothing but adding “extra stress without any reason.”
“I had a given an idea to Babar Azam a couple of years ago that don’t do captaincy in league cricket. [You’re a] big player, take your money, play your game, get runs, go home, and then to the next event. Pakistan’s captaincy is alright, but the league brings extra stress without any reason,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam is currently involved in Pakistan’s three-match Test series against Australia and has made 77 runs in the first two Tests at an average of 19.25.
Pakistan are 2-0 down in the series and will look to conclude their tour on a positive note by securing a consolation win in the third Test in Sydney, which gets underway on January 3.
Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi