Kagiso Rabada: “Babar Azam is a rock, especially in Pakistan. It’s like, ‘man, how do you get this guy out?”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
South Africa pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada regards Babar Azam as Pakistan’s rock and questioned how to get him out as he is such a technically gifted batsman.
Over the years, Azam has been the backbone of Pakistan’s batting line-up across all three formats and has repeatedly won games single-handedly for his team.
Even though his form has fallen significantly over the past 12 months, Rabada knows better than to underestimate the 31-year-old.
“Babar Azam is a rock, especially in Pakistan. It’s like, ‘man, how do you get this guy out?” he said on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, which is hosted by England cricketers Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, as quoted by A Sports.
Pakistan are currently involved in a home series against South Africa, which began with two Tests that ended as a 1-1 draw.
In those two matches, Azam scored 131 runs, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
As for Rabada, he took four wickets at an average of 46.75.
The men in green and the Proteas then played a three-match T20I series, with Azam amassing 79 runs, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 39.50 and a strike-rate of 117.91.
Next up will be the three-match ODI series, which will take place from November 4 to 8.
Pakistan will then take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series from November 11 to 15, before participating in a T20I tri-series alongside Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe from November 17 to 29.
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