Umar Gul: “[He is] relentlessly striving for the success of his team”
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Umar Gul believes Pakistan batsman Babar Azam wears his heart on his sleeve as he is “relentlessly striving for the success of his team.”
Azam is determined to see the men in green ascend to the top of the rankings and become one of the most deadly sides in world cricket.
Pakistan are currently ranked seventh in Tests, fifth in ODIs, and seventh in T20Is.
Acknowledging the challenging position the men in green are in, Gul commended Azam’s admirable commitment to doing all he can to elevate the team to the top of the rankings.
“[He is] relentlessly striving for the success of his team,” Gul told Cricket Pakistan.
Azam has been out of Pakistan’s T20I team as of late and thus missed the three-match series against Bangladesh in Lahore, the T20I tour of Bangladesh, the T20I series against the West Indies, and the T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan.
The 30-year-old continued to be overlooked by the selectors for the 2025 Asia Cup, where the men in green lost to India in the final.
Azam is set to return to action during Pakistan’s upcoming series against South Africa as he was included in the Test team.
Pakistan and South Africa will play two Tests, three T20Is, and three ODIs between October 12 and November 8.
Pakistan squad for South Africa Test series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi