"There’s no one close to my batting numbers in Pakistan" - Azam Khan compares himself to Suryakumar Yadav
Published - 28 Feb 2024, 04:17 PM
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Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan made a strong case for his inclusion in the national T20I squad, highlighting his exceptional batting performance as a finisher. Azam Khan expressed frustration at being overlooked despite his impressive performances.
Azam Khan made his international debut for Pakistan in a T20I match against England in 2021. The batter scored 29 runs in seven innings at a disappointing average of 4.83, with a best score of 10. Khan has been dropped from the team five times in his brief career.
The 25-year-old batter last played for the national team in New Zealand, where he scored 22 runs in three innings at a dismal average of 7.33 and a strike rate of 115.73. The right-handed batter was dropped from the playing XI after three matches in the recent series.
Only An Individual Is Made A Scapegoat – Azam Khan
Azam Khan emphasized his commitment to the team’s success, highlighting his track record of making comebacks for the Pakistan team in recent times.
“The team always comes first for me. If it’s a team game and only an individual is made a scapegoat, it makes me a bit angry,” Azam said o.
“I get frustrated sometimes. Yes, I deserve an opportunity. I have made three comebacks into the Pakistan team in the past five years,” he further added.
Azam Khan, the son of former wicketkeeper Moin Khan, played the first two matches during his debut series in England. Despite being part of the playing XI for the opener of a subsequent series against the West Indies, he did not get a chance to bat.
However, he was sidelined for the rest of the series. Two years later, Azam returned to the T20I side against Afghanistan in 2023. He played the first two games of that series before featuring in the three matches of the T20I series against New Zealand.
No One Close To My Batting Numbers – Azam Khan
Azam Khan highlighted his exceptional performance as a T20 batter, mentioning his statistics in the lower middle order. Khan listed prominent players who have shared impressive batting records in T20 cricket over the past four years.
“There’s no one close to my batting numbers at the No.5 and No.6 positions in Pakistan. In the last four years, only twelve batters have scored runs at an average of more than 25 and a strike-rate in excess of 145 in T20 cricket,” Azam said on Cricwick.
“The complete list includes Tim David, Glenn Phillips, Glenn Maxwell, Nicholas Pooran, Azam Khan, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Harry Brook, Suryakumar Yadav, Marcus Stoinis, Liam Livingstone and Heinrich Klaasen,” he further added.
Want To Play For Pakistan – Azam Khan
The young batter emphasized his commitment to national duty over financial gain. He urged selectors to provide him with a prolonged opportunity to showcase his abilities.
“If I stand among these T20 greats in terms of average and strike rate and I am not given the confidence, cricket has become so fast-paced that it won’t be a financial problem for me because you get so many league cricket tournaments. I know I have this opportunity to make money but I want to play for Pakistan,” Azam stated.
“If you give me a long run and I don’t perform, I have no problem if Pakistan drop me. I will try to find a way in by performing in domestic cricket, different leagues,” he concluded.
