Ahmed Shehzad: “It is crucial for Babar Azam to be in form before the Champions Trophy”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Veteran Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has stressed the importance of star batsman Babar Azam finding his form before the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Azam has struggled to score runs consistently for months, but showed some encouraging signs during the recent tour of South Africa.
Starting off with 31 runs in two T20Is at an average of 15.50, Azam did a lot better in the ODI series as he struck 148 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 49.33.
In the two-Test series that followed, he finished with 193 runs, which included three half-centuries, at an average of 48.25.
However, he was unable to maintain his newfound momentum in the two-Test series against the West Indies as he made 45 runs at an average of 11.25.
“It is crucial for Babar Azam to be in form before the Champions Trophy,” Shehzad was quoted as saying by TOK Sports on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Azam is now featuring in Pakistan’s ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, and scored 10 runs in the opening game against New Zealand.
After the tri-series, he will take part in the Champions Trophy, which will be held from February 19 to March 9.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
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