Basit Ali: “If he accepts this challenge, he should say that he accepts it. And if he can’t hit those sixes in the World Cup, then he shouldn’t open the batting”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has issued a challenge to limited overs captain Babar Azam, saying he should no longer open the batting if he can’t hit three sixes in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
However, he noted that he wants Azam to hit those sixes against top teams and not against the likes of Ireland and the United States of America.
Should the 29-year-old accept and complete this task, Basit said he will shut down his YouTube channel.
“If Babar Azam hits three straight sixes against top teams, not against the likes of the USA or Ireland, but against top teams, I will shut down my YouTube channel,” he was quoted as saying by Times of India.
“If he accepts this challenge, he should say that he accepts it. And if he can’t hit those sixes in the World Cup, then he shouldn’t open the batting.”
Azam recently captained Pakistan in their five-match T20I series against New Zealand and amassed 125 runs, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 31.25 and a strike-rate of 138.88.
He then proceeded to score 132 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 44 and a strike-rate of 148.31 in the three-match T20I series against Ireland.
Pakistan are now taking on England in a four-match T20I series, which is level at 0-0 after the first game was washed out.
Following this, they will be in action in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
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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