Aamer Jamal: “I will never criticise Azam”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan pace bowler Aamer Jamal has made it clear that he will “never criticise” big-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan because he wants him to succeed.
Azam has been a strong performer at the domestic level, but has not been able to do the same thing in international cricket.
So far, the 25-year-old has mustered 88 runs in 14 T20Is at an average of 8.80 and a strike-rate of 133.33.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, he was dismissed for a golden duck against the United States of America, which was the only match he played.
Despite not having lived up to expectations, Jamal has vowed to keep supporting Azam as he wants the power-hitter’s confidence levels to skyrocket so that he can start making big scores.
“I think Azam is under pressure because he didn’t have a good start. Whether it was his debut or comeback. Otherwise being a player, I will never criticise Azam. I think if you want to develop a player, the process will be that if you give him a start in the conditions that he has performed, his confidence level builds and boosts and he will give you performances in any condition,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Next up for Pakistan will be a two-Test series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi and Karachi from August 21 to September 3.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal (subject to fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi