Umar Akmal: “Our batter at the top, whom we call King Babar, needs to score big. A lot of responsibility has been fallen on him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal has admitted that batsman Babar Azam “needs to score big” as there is significant responsibility on his shoulders.
Azam has long been Pakistan’s most consistent run-scorer in all three formats, but his form hasn’t been anywhere near its best lately.
After missing multiple T20I assignments, including the 2025 Asia Cup, the 31-year-old returned for Pakistan’s ongoing home series against South Africa.
In the two Tests that were played, he amassed 131 runs, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
As for the three T20Is that followed, Azam continued to remain solid, racking up 79 runs, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 39.50 and a strike-rate of 117.91.
“Our batter at the top, whom we call King Babar, needs to score big. A lot of responsibility has been fallen on him,” Akmal said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Geo Super.
Pakistan and South Africa will now face each other in a three-match ODI series from November 4 to 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 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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