Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha defended Babar Azam and urged the media to shift focus ahead of the first T20I against Australia.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has urged the media to stop targeting Babar Azam ahead of the first T20I against Australia, saying the constant scrutiny around the senior batter has become frustrating. Babar recently found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons following an underwhelming stint in the Big Bash League (BBL).
Babar’s selection in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad also drew criticism from fans and experts alike. Addressing the issue at a press conference, Agha admitted his frustration over repeated questions about Babar and reminded everyone that the squad consists of several other players as well.
“My only wish is that one day I come to a press conference and there are no questions about Babar. I mean, there are eleven, or rather fourteen, other people in the team, other batsmen; think about them too, talk about them too,” Agha said in a press conference as quoted by NDTV Sports.
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The Pakistan skipper strongly backed Babar’s form for the national side and downplayed his struggles in franchise cricket.
“Leave him alone, let him bat. He was batting well. You can say that in the Big Bash, he couldn’t perform the way his team expected him to. But for us, he’s performing very well. I think he’s fulfilling his role very well, and that’s all that matters to me now. What happened in the Big Bash doesn’t matter to me at all,” he added.
Meanwhile, Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, arrived in Lahore for the three-match T20I series amid uncertainty over Pakistan’s participation in next month’s T20 World Cup. The series is being viewed as Pakistan’s final preparation for the tournament, which is scheduled to begin on February 7. However, it remains unclear whether the Pakistan team will receive government clearance to take part.
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