Moin Khan: “Azam wasn’t given a chance to keep wickets after one match and was dropped after getting out on the very first ball. Any player can get out on the first ball, but here the tradition of developing players that used to exist is no longer there”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan felt his son Azam wasn’t given a fair chance during the 2024 T20 World Cup.
He believed Azam was the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman leading up to the tournament, but ultimately, the 26-year-old only featured in the opening game against the United States of America, where he was dismissed for a golden duck.
Moin questioned how Pakistan can “produce good players” if they constantly make changes after a cricketer fails to perform in a few matches.
“I watched the entire World Cup and the matches leading up to it, and it seemed like Azam was the number one choice for wicketkeeping and batting. Then suddenly, after just one match, the entire strategy was changed,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
“Azam wasn’t given a chance to keep wickets after one match and was dropped after getting out on the very first ball. Any player can get out on the first ball, but here the tradition of developing players that used to exist is no longer there. Whether it’s the captain or the management, if they make such quick changes to players, how can we produce good players?”
Azam hasn’t played for Pakistan since that match against the United States of America, meaning he wasn’t selected for the recent limited overs series against Australia and Zimbabwe.
The powerhouse was also overlooked for the ongoing tour of South Africa, where Pakistan lost the T20I series 2-0.
As for the ODI series, the men in green hold a 1-0 lead going into the 2nd ODI, which takes place on December 19 in Cape Town.
Once the ODIs are done, Pakistan and South Africa will play two Tests, with the first match beginning on December 26 in Centurion.
Pakistan Squad for South Africa T20I Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha
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