Johan Botha: “That is (Babar Azam moving to Peshawar Zalmi) obviously a big loss”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Karachi Kings head coach Johan Botha admitted that Pakistan batsman Babar Azam going to the Peshawar Zalmi was a “big loss” for the team.
Azam was traded to the Zalmi in exchange for the Pakistan batting duo of Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik.
The 30-year-old has been struggling to score runs consistently as of late, but Botha knows how good he can be when he is firing on all cylinders.
“That is (Babar Azam moving to Peshawar Zalmi) obviously a big loss,” Botha, who used to play cricket for South Africa, told PCB Digital.
Azam recently featured in the 2025 Champions Trophy and made 87 runs in two matches, which included a top score of 64, at an average of 43.50.
He then travelled to New Zealand with the Pakistan team, but didn’t take part in the five-match T20I series as he was not included in the squad.
However, he was selected for the three-match ODI series and finished with 129 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 43.
Azam is now in action in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he is captaining the Zalmi and has scored three runs in three games at an average of one.
PSL 10 started on April 11 and will conclude on May 18.
Peshawar Zalmi Squad for PSL 10:
- Platinum: Babar Azam (captain), Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore
- Diamond: Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris
- Gold: Abdul Samad, Hussain Talat, Nahid Rana
- Silver: Arif Yaqoob, Najibullah Zadran, Max Bryant, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufiyan Muqeem
- Emerging: Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat
- Supplementary: Ahmed Daniyal, Alzarri Joseph