Salman Butt: “Everything related to Azam Khan will be criticised whenever he doesn’t perform. This is because what he presents is open to criticism. He invites criticism with the kind of fitness he carries. He had problems against the short ball”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt said wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan leaves himself “open to criticism” since he has problems with his fitness and facing short balls.
Azam has repeatedly been lambasted for being overweight, while his weakness against short-pitched bowling has been highlighted more often as of late.
On top of that, the 25-year-old son of former Pakistan skipper Moin Khan has failed to score runs, having amassed 88 runs in 14 T20Is at an average of 8.80 and a strike-rate of 133.33.
In the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup, Azam only featured in Pakistan’s opening game against the United States of America and was trapped lbw for a golden duck.
“Everything related to Azam Khan will be criticised whenever he doesn’t perform. This is because what he presents is open to criticism. He invites criticism with the kind of fitness he carries. He had problems against the short ball,” Salman said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan have already been eliminated from the T20 World Cup after losing to the United States of America and India.
They then beat Canada by seven wickets and will now play their final game against Ireland on June 16 in Lauderhill.
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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