Wahab Riaz: “We have monitored Azam Khan closely and preferred skills over fitness. The player being [a] match-winner is more important”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan chief selector Wahab Riaz has confirmed that it was “skills over fitness” when it came to the selection of wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Azam, who is the son of former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, failed to have much of an impact in the series against the Black Caps as he was limited to 22 runs in three games at an average of 7.33 and a strike-rate of 115.78.
Despite this, Wahab is hoping that the 25-year-old big-hitter can develop into a reliable match-winner for the men in green.
“We have monitored Azam Khan closely and preferred skills over fitness. The player being [a] match-winner is more important,” he was quoted as saying by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) website.
Azam is now in action for Islamabad United in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and has accumulated 118 runs in six matches, which includes a top score of 75, at an average of 39.33 and a strike-rate of 203.44.
Islamabad United Squad for PSL 9: Shadab Khan (captain), Naseem Shah, Jordan Cox, Imad Wasim, Azam Khan, Tymal Mills, Faheem Ashraf, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Rumman Raees, Matthew Forde, Salman Ali Agha, Qasim Akram, Shahab Khan, Hunain Shah, Ubaid Shah, Shamyl Hussain, Obed McCoy, Haider Ali, Muhammad Waseem
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