Shoaib Akhtar: “You have made a superstar out of a player who cannot win you a game”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Legendary Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has criticised batsman Babar Azam, saying he is considered a superstar despite not being able to win matches.
Azam recently endured a prolonged rough patch, which had an adverse impact on the men in green, given the 31-year-old is regarded as the backbone of their batting line-up.
While Azam has begun to regain his rhythm, Akhtar remains unhappy that the Lahore native has not been consistently leading Pakistan across the finish line in matches.
“You have made a superstar out of a player who cannot win you a game,” he said on Indian news channel ABP as quoted by NDTV.
Azam recently featured in Pakistan’s two-Test series against Bangladesh and made 115 runs in one match, which included a top score of 68, at an average of 57.50.
He was then in action against Australia, scoring 125 runs in three ODIs, which included a top score of 69, at an average of 41.66.
Azam will now captain Pakistan in their two-Test series against the West Indies, which will be held in Trinidad and Tobago from July 25 to August 6.
Following that, the men in green will face England in three-Test series from August 19 to September 13.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
Pakistan Squad for England Test series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
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