Naveen-ul-Haq: “If Babar Azam were a character in a movie, he could play the hero. We can’t make him a villain”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq believes Pakistan batsman Babar Azam would play the hero in a movie.
He noted that there is no way the 31-year-old could play the role of a villain.
“If Babar Azam were a character in a movie, he could play the hero. We can’t make him a villain,” Naveen was quoted as saying by TOK Sports on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Azam was recently involved in Pakistan’s home series against South Africa and began by scoring 131 runs in two Tests, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
He then participated in the three-match T20I series and struck 79 runs, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 39.50 and a strike-rate of 117.91.
Three ODIs followed, but Azam was restricted to 45 runs at an average of 15.
The Lahore native then featured in Pakistan’s three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka and amassed 165 runs, which included his first century in over two years, at an average of 82.50.
Pakistan’s current assignment is a T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, which will finish on November 29.
In the opening game against Zimbabwe, Azam was dismissed for a duck.
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series:Â Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem