Pakistan batsman Babar Azam: “I don’t think about criticism. People want me to improve my strike-rate, but I know how to play according to situations. My game is ground strokes and strike rotation. If the situation demands high strike-rate, I will obviously do it”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan batsman Babar Azam is well aware that people want him to boost his strike-rate in T20Is, but made it clear that he pays little attention to criticism.
Azam noted that he plays according to the situation and will raise his strike-rate should he find himself in a scenario that demands it.
Additionally, he pointed out that he is not a big-hitter as “my game is ground strokes and strike rotation”.
“I don’t think about criticism. People want me to improve my strike-rate, but I know how to play according to situations. My game is ground strokes and strike rotation. If the situation demands high strike-rate, I will obviously do it,” the 31-year-old was quoted as saying by journalist Farid Khan on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Azam made his T20I return in Pakistan’s home series against South Africa and made 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.
Next came a T20I tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, where he amassed 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.
Surprisingly, Azam was left out of Pakistan’s squad for their T20I tour of Sri Lanka and is instead playing for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL), where he has accumulated 154 runs in eight matches, which includes two half-centuries, at an average of 25.66 and a strike-rate of 104.05.
Pakistan Squad for Sri Lanka T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq