Mike Hesson: “If he gets himself set, he can control the innings as well”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Islamabad United head coach Mike Hesson said Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan can “control the innings” if he gets himself set at the crease.
Azam generally bats in the middle order and is assigned the power-hitting role, meaning it is his job to score runs quickly.
However, in the event where the top order gets out early, Hesson noted that the 25-year-old is more than capable of getting his eye in and holding the innings together.
“If he gets himself set, he can control the innings as well,” he told PakPassion.
Azam recently played for Islamabad in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and had a solid campaign as he amassed 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 then missed Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand due to a grade one tear in his right calf muscle.
Azam returned in the three-match T20I series against Ireland and finished with 48 runs in three games at an average of 48 and a strike-rate of 266.66.
Next up for Pakistan will be four T20Is against England from May 22 to May 30.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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