Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan: “I get frustrated sometimes. Yes, I deserve an opportunity. I have made three comebacks into the Pakistan team in the past [three] years”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan big-hitting batsman Azam Khan believes he deserves a proper opportunity to cement his spot in the national team.
He noted that he has made multiple comebacks over the last few years, but hasn’t been given enough chances to show what he can do.
The 25-year-old, who is the son of former captain Moin Khan, has featured in eight T20Is to date and scored 29 runs at an average of 4.83 and a strike-rate of 90.62.
His most recent appearance for Pakistan came during the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January 2024, where he mustered 22 runs in three games at an average of 7.33 and a strike-rate of 115.78.
While his performances haven’t been anywhere close to what’s expected of him, Azam expressed his frustration at only getting a handful of games to prove his worth.
“I get frustrated sometimes. Yes, I deserve an opportunity. I have made three comebacks into the Pakistan team in the past [three] years,” he told Cricwick as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam represented Islamabad United in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and made 226 runs in 12 matches, which included a top score of 75, at an average of 25.11 and a strike-rate of 171.21.
He was supposed to feature in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand in April 2024, but was ruled out with a grade one tear in his right calf muscle.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan
Non-travelling reserves: Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha