Pakistan batsman Babar Azam: “I just kept telling myself to stay calm, and believe that my ability and hard work would be vindicated, and to try and enjoy myself”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Babar Azam said he trusts his “ability and hard work” as he continues fighting to end the rough patch he has been going through for months.
During the recent tour of South Africa, he started off by scoring 31 runs in two T20Is at an average of 15.50.
However, he performed a lot better in the ODI series, amassing 148 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 49.33.
He maintained his newfound momentum in the two Tests as well, making 193 runs, which included three half-centuries, at an average of 48.25.
Prior to the Test series against South Africa, Azam had not made a fifty in the longest format since December 2022.
“Things change in life all the time. I learned a lot during this time [of poor form] when what I wanted to do I wasn’t able to do, and when I couldn’t do the things that people expected of me. I just kept telling myself to stay calm, and believe that my ability and hard work would be vindicated, and to try and enjoy myself,” the 30-year-old was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Following the South Africa tour, Pakistan returned home and took on the West Indies in a two-Test series in Multan.
In those two matches, Azam only managed to muster 45 runs at an average of 11.25.
The series ended up finishing as a 1-1 draw.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha