'We are facing...': Babar Azam on 'Jofra Archer' threat ahead of England vs Pakistan's T20I series opener

Captain Babar Azam said that Pakistan team is excited to play Jofran Archer in the T20I series against England which is slated to start from May 22.

Profile

Abhijeet Kumar Singh

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam (left) and England's star pacer Jofra Archer in this frame. (Getty)

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam (left) and England's star pacer Jofra Archer in this frame. (Getty)

Highlights:

Babar Azam is excited to face Jofra Archer in England vs Pakistan's T20I series.

England and Pakistan will face each other in 1st T20I on May 22.

Pakistan's captain Babar Azam took a brave stance when he was asked about Jofra Archer threat in the T20I series against England. In a show of confidence, Azam stated his team is looking forward to the challenge, not fearing the England fast bowler. This upcoming series holds high anticipation as Archer gears up for his first international appearance on English soil in nearly four years. England's captain, Jos Buttler, confirmed the much-awaited comeback, with Archer taking the field for the first T20I against Pakistan in Leeds on Wednesday.

Archer's journey back hasn't been easy. Persistent back and elbow injuries sidelined him significantly, restricting him to just seven matches for England in the last three years.  However, his determination to return to competitive cricket is evident, and fans are eager to see him back in action.

 

ALSO READ: Sunil Gavaskar predicts clear winner in RR vs RCB IPL 2024 Eliminator, says 'I'll be surprised if that doesn't happen'

ALSO READ: 'My mother is still recovering in the hospital... But I knew my KKR family needed me': Rahmanullah Gurbaz after KKR reach IPL 2024 final

 

Pakistan ready to tackle ‘Archer’ threat

Babar Azam isn't shying away from the challenge of facing a returning Jofra Archer. Azam expressed his team's eagerness for the matchup, highlighting their preparation for the England fast bowler's pace. Archer's inclusion in the England squad, not only for the T20I series but also the upcoming T20 World Cup, has generated significant buzz.  He impressed with his bowling speed during net sessions, including one with England's captain, Jos Buttler.  However, England's management opted for a lighter training session for Archer on Tuesday, prioritizing his fitness for the series opener against Pakistan on Wednesday.

While Archer's reputation as a fearsome bowler precedes him, Babar assures that Pakistan is ready.  He emphasizes their familiarity with facing high-speed bowling through regular practice sessions and their own talented pace attack featuring Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, and Shaheen Afridi.  This sets the stage for an exciting T20I series opener with both teams confident in their abilities.

 

Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, is turning the upcoming T20I series against England into a positive opportunity.  He downplays any fear surrounding Jofra Archer's return, instead framing it as a valuable pre-T20 World Cup test.

Babar emphasizes his team's enthusiasm to face Archer.  This series provides a chance to gauge their skills against a world-class fast bowler before the T20 World Cup kicks off in the USA and Caribbean on June 1st.

 

“As a team, we are very excited to play Archer. We have that pace of bowlers: Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi. We are facing it every day. We are not feeling fear; we are excited,” Babar was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. 

 

ALSO READ: 'Quality that isn't part of Indian cricket culture': Pakistan legend makes stunning remark on Gautam Gambhir replacing Rahul Dravid as Indian head coach

ALSO READ: 'Hardik Pandya’s not done well': Yuvraj Singh's big remark on Mumbai Indians captain's selection in T20 World Cup 2024

 

England's squad for T20I series against Pakistan


Jos Buttler (wk/c), Philip Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, Mark Wood, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone, Tom Hartley

 

Pakistan's squad for T20I series against England

Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam(c), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed, Abbas Afridi, Irfan Khan, Usman Khan, Agha Salman

 

The Schedule

First T20I - May 22 at Headingley, Leeds

Second T20I - May 25 at Edgbaston, Birmingham

Third T20I - May 28 at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

Fourth T20I - May 30 at Kennington Oval, London

 

MORE ON SPORTS TAK:

'People in India try to find reason not to pick Virat Kohli': WC-winning captain on RCB superstar ahead of IPL 2024 Eliminator

Massive security threat to Virat Kohli, RCB cancel practice, press meet ahead of IPL 2024 Eliminator vs RR

Not Sanju Samson, Yuvraj Singh picks Rishabh Pant as India's wicket-keeper for T20 World Cup 2024 - Check reason

WATCH - Shah Rukh Khan apologises to Suresh Raina, Parthiv Patel for making silly mistake after KKR reach IPL 2024 Final

Watch: Emotional Rahul Tripathi sits and cries on stairs of dressing room after mix-up with Abdul Samad leads to his run out

    Share