Wasim Akram: “Babar still has a lot of cricket left in him and can achieve much for Pakistan. We all need to support him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pace icon Wasim Akram believes batsman Babar Azam “still has a lot of cricket left in him and can achieve much for Pakistan”.
Azam has been going through a rough patch for many months now, but has shown glimpses of getting back to his best at times.
The 31-year-old missed many of Pakistan’s recent T20I assignments, including the Asia Cup, before getting recalled for the ongoing three-match T20I series against South Africa.
Having seemingly gotten back in favour with the selectors, Wasim has placed his faith in Azam’s ability to bounce back and urged everyone to stand behind him.
“Babar still has a lot of cricket left in him and can achieve much for Pakistan. We all need to support him,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
Prior to the T20I series taking place right now, Pakistan and South Africa faced each other in two Tests, where Azam amassed 131 runs, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
As for the T20Is, he made scores of 0 and 11 not out in the first two games.
Following the T20I series, the men in green and the Proteas will meet for a three-match ODI series between November 4 and 8.
Afterwards, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series from November 11 to 15, and then participate in a T20I tri-series alongside Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from November 17 to 29.
Pakistan squad for South Africa T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan squad for South Africa ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
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