Sam Billings: “He is King Babar Azam, as they call him. He’s been such a world-class performer for such a long time”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
England wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings has lavished praise on Pakistan batsman Babar Azam, calling him the king.
He noted that Azam has been “such a world-class performer for such a long time” and brings so much value to any competition he plays in.
His comments come after the Lahore-born batsman was signed by the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming season of the Big Bash League (BBL).
“He is King Babar Azam, as they call him. He’s been such a world-class performer for such a long time. Any competition with a player like Babar Azam in it obviously benefits. Not only the Sixers, as you said, but the competition as a whole,” Billings, who will play for the Sydney Thunder in BBL 15, said in a video posted on Instagram.
Azam was recently in action in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and amassed 288 runs in 10 games, which included three fifties, at an average of 36 and a strike-rate of 128.57.
After PSL 10, Pakistan faced Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series, but Azam was not picked in the team.
He was also left out for the tour of Bangladesh, where the men in green lost the T20I series 2-1.
Pakistan then travelled to the West Indies and Azam once again missed the T20I series.
He did, however, feature in the three-match ODI series and made 56 runs at an average of 18.66.
Pakistan are now involved in a T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan in Sharjah, which will finish on September 7.
They will then take part in the 2025 Asia Cup, which will be played in the UAE from September 9 to 28.
Azam was not included in the squad Pakistan unveiled for the T20I tri-series and Asia Cup.
Pakistan squad for UAE T20I tri-series and 2025 Asia Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem
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