Mohammad Hafeez: “We gave him a fitness plan, but he (Azam) could not improve”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez said wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan was given a fitness plan to abide by, but he failed to show any improvement.
Azam’s weight has been a constant problem throughout his career and Hafeez was eager to help the 25-year-old become fitter.
However, much to his frustration, the big-hitter just couldn’t shed the pounds needed to become a more effective player.
“Being lean or oversize is never an issue for me, but you need to work according to the needs of the game. You need to bring your fitness to a required level. We gave him a fitness plan, but he (Azam) could not improve,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam was recently in action in the 2024 T20 World Cup and only played in the opening match against the United States of America, against whom he made a golden duck.
Pakistan lost to the United States of America and India before securing successive wins over Canada and Ireland.
However, those two victories went in vain as the men in green were knocked out 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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