Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam finally opened up on his recent batting struggles with the bat on the sidelines of the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023. Babar Azam is currently performing well in the ongoing BPL season, representing Rangpur Riders. He has amassed 157 runs in four innings, averaging 52.33 and striking at 112.95.
Babar went through a challenging phase during the ICC World Cup 2023 and the subsequent Test series against Australia. Following Pakistan's underwhelming performance in the World Cup, Babar was relieved of his captaincy amid a complete overhaul of the PCB administration. Mohammad Hafeez took over as Director of Cricket, Wahab Riaz became Chairman of selectors, and there were significant leadership changes too. Shan Masood was appointed as the new Test captain, while Shaheen Afridi took over the T20I captaincy.
In 2023, Babar scored over 1000 runs but managed only 320 runs in the ODI World Cup. His performance was also subdued in the T20I series against New Zealand.
Speaking recently from the BPL 2024, Babar expressed his dissatisfaction with his current performance, emphasising his ambition to achieve many more milestones in his cricket career.
Babar Azam isn't satisfied with current form
“I am not satisfied with where I am right now, and there are still more milestones to achieve. When I fail, I talk to many people and learn from my mistakes,” Babar Azam said, as quoted by cricketpakistan.com.pk.
Babar also mentioned that participating in the BPL and facing skilled spinners has motivated him to modify his playing style and adapt to the varying conditions.
“In the BPL, quality spinners pose a challenge, and I try to adapt my game according to the conditions everywhere. I have arrived here from New Zealand, and there is a difference in conditions between the two,” he said.
“I make an effort to play by staying on the wicket for partnership-building. Youngblood is a good thing in T20 cricket, but it needs to be accompanied by experience,” Babar further added.
Babar Azam Reflects on Difficulty for Asian Cricketers
Babar also reflected on Pakistan's recent Test series defeat to Australia, where they were swept clean. This loss set them back in the rankings and resulted in the loss of crucial WTC points. In the series, Azam scored a mere 126 runs at an average of 21.00, with his highest being 41.
“An experienced player knows how to handle pressure. Asian players find it challenging in Australia, New Zealand, England, and South Africa. The solution to this is preparation for both bounce and money,” Azam concluded.
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