Shan Masood: “Babar Azam is among the world’s best batters. You have to give your players time, not just Babar Azam. Babar doesn’t look out of form, he’s getting starts”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood doesn’t think batsman Babar Azam is “out of form” as he is “getting starts”.
Azam has struggled to score runs consistently for many months, which has hurt the men in green as he is one of their key batsmen.
The 31-year-old is working hard to overcome his current rough patch, and Masood is confident Azam will succeed, knowing the Lahore native is “among the world’s best batters.”
“Babar Azam is among the world’s best batters. You have to give your players time, not just Babar Azam. Babar doesn’t look out of form, he’s getting starts,” Masood was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Azam is currently featuring in Pakistan’s home series against South Africa and began by making 131 runs, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
He continued to do well in the three-match T20I series, amassing 79 runs, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 39.50 and a strike-rate of 117.91.
Pakistan and South Africa will now play three ODIs from November 4 to 8.
After that, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series from November 11 to 15, before joining a T20I tri-series with 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