Mike Hesson: “He’s at a stage in his career where he needs a big season and I know he’s highly motivated to do that”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Islamabad United head coach Mike Hesson has admitted that wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan “needs a big season” after failing to fire as of late.
He noted that the 26-year-old is also “at a crossroads in his career” as he needs to decide “what type of player he wants to be”.
Hesson has plans for Azam going into the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) as he may try using the power-hitter in the top order rather than the middle order.
Azam was recently in action in the International League T20 (ILT20), where he represented the Desert Vipers and scored 83 runs in 10 games at an average of 10.37 and a strike-rate of 145.61.
“I think Azam’s at a crossroads in his career where, you know, he’s got to decide what he wants to do, what type of player he wants to be. Whether he’s going to be used in that middle order role. He’s batted at the top in the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) as well and that’s something that could eventuate this PSL also. He’s at a stage in his career where he needs a big season and I know he’s highly motivated to do that,” Hesson told PakPassion.
Azam was not selected for Pakistan’s ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa.
He was also overlooked for the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Pakistan were knocked out in the group stage after losing to New Zealand and India.
The men in green’s last group stage match will be against Bangladesh on February 27 in Rawalpindi.
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
MORE PAKISTAN CRICKET NEWS: Pathetic fitness, Pakistan fast bowler lambasts the national team