Salman Butt: “You have wronged Babar; yes, he is not a good captain, but you didn’t give him ideal preparation either”
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Former Pakistan batsman Salman Butt has blasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), saying they wronged ex-captain Babar Azam.
Salman pointed out that the PCB didn’t do anything to help Azam improve his captaincy skills, even after it was talked about again and again by many pundits and former players.
The 31-year-old has captained Pakistan on two occasions, but according to Salman, while the PCB failed to properly support Azam’s development as a leader, the Lahore native must also accept part of the blame, as Salman believes “he is not a good captain.”
“You have wronged Babar; yes, he is not a good captain, but you didn’t give him ideal preparation either,” the 41-year-old told Cricket Pakistan.
Azam has been very busy lately as he featured in Pakistan’s home series against South Africa, which began with him scoring 131 runs in two Tests, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.
He then proceeded to make 79 runs in three T20Is, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 39.50 and a strike-rate of 117.91.
In the ODI series that followed, he finished with 45 runs in three matches at an average of 15.
Azam had a much better time with the bat in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka as he accumulated 165 runs, which included his first international hundred in more than two years, at an average of 82.50.
As for the T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, he ended up scoring 127 runs in five games, which included a top score of 74, at an average of 31.75 and a strike-rate of 112.38.
Azam is now playing for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL) and has amassed 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.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a tour of Sri Lanka, which will consist of three T20Is that will be held in Dambulla from January 7 to 11.
Pakistan Squad for Sri Lanka T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq