Babar Azam: “He traps you. He gives you a tough time. He challenges your tempering and technique to the fullest. If he does a loose [ball], then I think that he does that intentionally”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has lavished praise on Australia skipper Pat Cummins, saying he is a world-class fast bowler as he rarely bowls a loose ball.
Having previously said Cummins is one of the most difficult bowlers he has faced, Azam pointed out that the 31-year-old “traps you” and “gives you a tough time” as he tests a batsmen’s temperament and technique “to the fullest”.
The Pakistan superstar further noted that on the rare occasion Cummins does bowl a loose delivery, he likely does it intentionally in a bid to get a wicket.
“The way he has, over the years, improved [himself], he will not give you a loose ball. He knows how I can take the wicket of a certain batter by bowling at a certain position. He traps you. He gives you a tough time. He challenges your tempering and technique to the fullest. If he does a loose [ball], then I think that he does that intentionally,” Azam was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
Azam led Pakistan in their five-match T20I series against New Zealand and accumulated 125 runs, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 31.25 and a strike-rate of 138.88.
He then featured in the three-match T20I series against Ireland and finished with 132 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 44 and a strike-rate of 148.31.
As for the four-match T20I series against England, he amassed 68 runs in two games at an average of 34 and a strike-rate of 141.66.
He then captained Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup and scored 122 runs in four matches at an average of 40.66 and a strike-rate of 101.66.
The men in green lost their first two games against the United States of America and India before rebounding to take down Canada and Ireland.
However, it was not enough to take them through to the Super Eights and they were ultimately eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.
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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