Tayyab Tahir: “There are many other players in the team, we can’t solely rely on Babar Azam’s performance”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan cricketer Tayyab Tahir has insisted that the team cannot “solely rely on Babar Azam’s performance” and called on the other batsmen to start stepping up.
Azam has long been Pakistan’s go-to run-scorer in all three formats, but he is currently going through a turbulent patch.
During Pakistan’s home series against South Africa, he kicked things off with 131 runs in two Tests, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
The 31-year-old then made his return to the T20I team and struck 79 runs in three games against the Proteas, 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 only managed to muster 45 runs at an average of 15.
Pakistan’s next assignment was a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka and Azam had a phenomenal showing with the bat, accumulating 165 runs, which included his first international century in more than two years, at an average of 82.50.
He then proceeded to play in Pakistan’s T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, and finished with 127 runs in five matches, which included a top score of 74, at an average of 31.75 and a strike-rate of 112.38.
With Azam still working to get back into form, Tahir noted that the other batsmen in the team must contribute with big knocks to ensure the men in green win matches.
“There are many other players in the team, we can’t solely rely on Babar Azam’s performance,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
Azam is now playing for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL), where he has scored 71 runs in four games, which includes a top score of 58, at an average of 17.75 and a strike-rate of 110.93.