Salman Ali Agha: “In big games, big players step up… I really hope he continues along this vein and we see this Babar perform in the next four or five years”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha wants batsman Babar Azam to keep stepping up and delivering match-winning performances for the next four to five years.

Azam has long been one of Pakistan’s top run-scorers, but his form has taken a drastic hit as of late.

At 31, as flashes of his old brilliance return, Salman is convinced Azam can keep setting the tone for the years to come.

“In big games, big players step up… I really hope he continues along this vein and we see this Babar perform in the next four or five years,” he was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Recently, Azam featured in Pakistan’s home series against South Africa and scored 131 runs in two Tests, which included a top score of 50, at an average of 32.75.

He then made his T20I comeback and amassed 79 runs in three matches, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 39.50 and a strike-rate of 117.91.

As for the three-match ODI series, the Lahore native ended up making 45 runs at an average of 15.

Azam had a lot more success in the ODI series against Sri Lanka as he struck 165 runs in three games, which included his first international century in over two years, at an average of 82.50.

A T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe followed after this and Azam 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.

Right now, Azam is in Australia as he is playing for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL).

So far, he has accumulated 129 runs in five games, which includes two fifties, at an average of 32.25 and a strike-rate of 117.27.

Despite this, he was not included in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which will be played 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

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