Tag: Babar Azam

DUBLIN: Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Babar Azam, expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance in the Ireland series and vowed to maintain the same momentum against England.

Pakistan defeated Ireland in the final T20I to clinch the three-match series 2-1, courtesy of Azam and Mohammad Rizwan’s swashbuckling half-centuries.

Azam reflected on the team’s performance after the game and appreciated the batters for showing responsibility after the shocking loss in the first match.

“Our team showed improvement during the Ireland series, especially in the batting department,” said the star batter.

He appreciated contributions by the top-order batters Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, while also showing faith in lower-order batters Iftikhar Ahmed and Azam Khan.

“Rizwan and Fakhar stood out throughout the series, however, the performance by Iftikhar Ahmed and Azam Khan in the lower order has been promising,” he added.

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The star-batter also heaped praise on bowlers, especially all-rounder Imad Wasim for his economical spells.

“If we talk more about bowling, Imad Wasim is bowling very well in difficult situations. Amir is playing a perfect role as a senior bowler, while Shaheen Afridi once again proved himself as an outstanding bowler,” he said.

He also expressed optimism for the upcoming four-match T20I series against England and vowed to maintain the same momentum as in the Ireland series.

“You will continue to see positive intent from batters during the England series and we will try to maintain this momentum,” he concluded.

Pakistan and England will square off in the first T20I on May 22 at Headingley, followed by the second match at Edgbaston on May 25.

After the conclusion of the series, the Pakistan team will depart for the United States of America (USA) to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

READ: Hasaranga, Shakib share top-spot in ICC T20I All-Rounder Rankings

DUBLIN: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi presented special jerseys to white-ball captain Babar Azam and pace bowler Shaheen Afridi for their recent achievements here on Sunday.

Both players received the jerseys after Pakistan’s crushing seven-wicket victory over Ireland in the second T20I to level the three-match series 1-1.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi presented special jerseys to @babarazam258 and @iShaheenAfridi to celebrate their recent achievements.

Babar achieved the most wins as a T20I captain, while Shaheen completed his 300 international wickets during the second T20I.#IREvPAK |… pic.twitter.com/6pphKVVD8B

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) May 12, 2024

With the victory over Ireland, Babar Azam became the most successful captain in T20I history with 45 wins, surpassing Uganda’s Brian Masaba (44). Azam has led Pakistan in 78 matches since assuming the role in 2019.

Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi achieved the significant milestone of taking 300 wickets in international cricket. Ireland captain Paul Stirling became his 300th wicket during the second T20I.

The 24-year-old is also the fifth youngest bowler to achieve the milestone.

He has represented Pakistan in 145 matches across formats since making his international debut in 2018. He took 113 wickets in Test cricket, 104 in ODI and 84 in T20I.

Notably, Pakistan opted to bowl first in the second T20I and Afridi removed both openers in the fourth over to reduce Ireland to 34-2.

However, Lorcan Tucker played brilliant innings of 51 runs from 34 balls, featuring five boundaries and two sixes, while Gareth Delany scored a quick 28 off 10 to propel Ireland to 193 in their allocated 20 overs.

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Pakistan successfully chased the 194-run target with 19 balls to spare, courtesy of Mohammad Rizwan and Fakkhar Zaman’s half-centuries.

They constructed a 140-run partnership in 78 balls to tilt the game in Pakistan’s favour after Saim Ayub (6) and Babar Azam (0) fell early.

Rizwan scored an unbeaten 75 off 46, featuring six boundaries and four sixes, while Zaman was dismissed after scoring 78 runs from 40 balls.

Azam Khan was another notable contributor with an unbeaten 30 off 10 with four sixes. He hit Mark Adair for three sixes in the 17th over to finish the match in style.

The third and decisive T20I between Pakistan and Ireland will be played on 14 May (tomorrow).

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DUBLIN: Pakistan captain Babar Azam opened up on Pakistan’s shock defeat against Ireland in the first T20I of the three-match series here on Friday.

Pakistan succumbed to their first-ever defeat against Ireland in T20Is. The two sides had faced each other only once before in the format during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 where the eventual champions emerged victorious.

Meanwhile, Babar, while talking at the post-match presentation asserted that the lack of execution in fielding and bowling cost the team the match while asserting that the touring side was also some runs short.

“We didn’t start well in the first 6 overs; the pitch was a bit two-paced and had some bounce. We recovered well after that and got 182 but I think 190 was a par score,” stated Babar.

“But I think we lost due to the bowling and fielding. We didn’t execute our plans and had some sloppy lapses in the field which cost us,” he added.

Put into bat first, Pakistan accumulated 182/5 in the allotted 20 overs, courtesy of Babar Azam’s anchoring half-century, followed by Iftikhar Ahmed’s late onslaught.

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Babar remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 43-ball 57, followed by young opener Saim Ayub, who scored 45. Whereas, Iftikhar bolstered the team total with an unbeaten cameo of 37.

Set to chase 183, Ireland amassed the total for the loss of five wickets and a ball to spare, at the back of a strong third-wicket partnership between Harry Tector and Balbirnie.

Balbirnie and Tector knitted an anchoring 77-run partnership for the third wicket to recover Ireland from a dismal start.

Tector perished in the 13th over after scoring 36 off 27 deliveries while Balbirnie carried his bat all the way through to the 19th over to put Ireland in touching distance.

He top-scored for Ireland with 77 off 55 deliveries, peppered with 10 boundaries and two sixes.

Pakistan and Ireland next face each other in the second T20I of the three-match series at the same venue on Sunday.

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DUBLIN: Pakistan’s ace batter Babar Azam on Friday, equalled India’s Virat Kohli’s record of most T20I half-centuries during his side’s first T20I against Ireland.

Babar now has 38 fifty-plus scores to his name, which came in 108 innings, one less than Kohli. He has also scored three centuries.

Most fifty-plus scores in T20Is

Babar Azam: 38 in 108 innings
Virat Kohl: 38 in 109 innings
Rohit Sharma: 34 in 143 innings
Mohammad Rizwan: 27 in 81 innings
David Warner: 27 in 103 innings

Notably, Babar achieved the milestone with his anchoring 57-run knock in the first T20I of the ongoing three-match series against Ireland.

His fifty, coupled with Iftikhar Ahmed’s late onslaught propelled Pakistan to 182/6.

Put into bat first, Pakistan’s new opening pair of Mohammad Rizwan (1) and Saim Ayub failed to give them a steady start as the former got run out in the second over, courtesy of Herry Tector’s direct hit.

Following the early blow, Pakistan captain Babar Azam joined Saim in the middle and launched recovery.

The duo batted sensibly and added 85 runs for the second wicket until the left-handed opener faltered.

Saim fell rigorously short of his maiden T20I hundred and walked back in the 12th over after scoring a brisk 45. His 29-ball knock featured four boundaries and three sixes.

Babar switched gears after Saim’s dismissal and soon brought up his 38th T20I century in 39 deliveries.

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He, however, failed to get going and miscued Craig Young’s short-pitched delivery to Mark Adair at long-on.

Babar Azam remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 43-ball 57 with the help of eight boundaries and a six.

Pakistan then lost two more wickets in quick succession as both Azam Khan and Shadab Khan fell for a duck and thus consequently slipped to 123/5 in 15.2 overs.

Coming out to bat at No.7, Iftikhar Ahmed launched the attack on Ireland’s bowlers and bolstered Pakistan’s total.

He smashed three boundaries and three sixes on his way to an unbeaten 37 off 15 deliveries.

Iftikhar also put together an important partnership with Fakhar Zaman, who scored a scratchy 20.

Craig Young spearheaded Ireland’s bowling charge with 2/27 in his four overs while Adair and Gareth Delany chipped in with a wicket apiece.

READ: Iftikhar, Babar propel Pakistan to 182/6 against Ireland in first T20I

Legendary Pakistan batter and T20 World Cup-winning captain Younis Khan has offered valuable advice to the national team’s top-order batters, including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman, ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.

While talking to the media in Karachi, Khan stressed the value of scoring quick runs in the middle overs, maintaining a healthy run rate of 8-9 runs per over after the powerplay.

“If a team scores 200 runs, they will be in a position to save the match, a score of 170 is not sufficient anymore,” he said.

He advised the Pakistan team’s top-order batters to focus on accelerating their scoring rate after the powerplay to help reach the par score of 200.

“Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, and Rizwan will have to go to the next gear. Nowadays, more runs can be scored at a rapid pace, it is the responsibility of the players to play aggressively,” he added.

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He also acknowledged the ever-evolving landscape of T20 cricket, where every batter and bowler should be ready to perform in any situation or position.

“The captain will have to think out of the box, and players will also have to come out of their comfort zones together.

“Every player should assist the captain; do not leave everything on one person because a plan cannot be made on just one person,” he added.

Notably, the Pakistan team is currently on the tour of Ireland, where they will play the first T20I at Clontarf in Dublin today. The next two matches are scheduled on 12 and 14 May at the same venue.

The three-match away series, followed by four T20Is in England, will serve as a stepping stone for the Green Shirts to boast their preparations for this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam on Monday, revealed that the team will do the “best possible planning” to counter India’s batting maestro Virat Kohli at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Arch-rivals Pakistan and India are slated to go face-to-face on June 9 at New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in the group stage of the upcoming mega event.

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam, during a press conference here at Gaddafi Stadium ahead of the national men’s team’s departure to Ireland, was asked whether the team would plan differently to counter Kohli.

The star Indian batter holds a phenomenal record against Pakistan, the highlight of which was his unbeaten 82-run knock against the 2009 champions in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup at the sold-out Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

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Babar Azam acknowledged Virat Kohli’s skills and termed him one of the best players in the world before emphasizing the need to plan against all eleven players instead of only one.

“As a team, you always plan against different teams and according to their strengths. We don’t plan anything against only one player. We plan for all eleven players,” said Babar.

“We don’t know much about the conditions in New York and we will plan accordingly. He [Virat Kohli] is one of the best players and we will come up with the best possible planing against him as well,” he added.

The Pakistan captain then went on to reveal that Pakistan will field full-strength Playing XIs in the upcoming series against Ireland and England as the time to prepare for the T20 World Cup 2024 is running short.

“I think there is less time for rotation now because the World Cup is around the corner, and in the remaining matches, we will try to give the team we want to play with in the World Cup a proper opportunity.

“We will sort out whatever our bowling and batting combination is, and we have almost done that. We will play with our best possible XI in the remaining matches.”

READ: Pakistan’s jersey for T20 World Cup 2024 unveiled

LAHORE: Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam on Monday opened up about the selection of pace bowler Hasan Ali in the national squad for the upcoming series against Ireland and England.

During the team’s pre-departure press conference, Azam responded to the criticism over the pacer’s inclusion in the team and defended the decision, stating that Hasan Ali was only selected as a backup for Haris Rauf.

“I have been hearing for quite some time that why is he [Hassan Ali] back? Selectors have also made it clear that he is there as a backup [for Haris Rauf],” Azam remarked.

“It is not that he is part of the 15-member squad [for World Cup]. We need to understand that he is a backup because of his experience,” he added.

He also stressed that the experienced pacer was recalled through a unanimous decision by the selection committee, comprising seven members.

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“It is not because of just one person that he [Hasan] is selected. There are seven selectors who selected him,” he concluded.

Notably, one of the selectors Wahab Riaz, also voiced the same opinion as Babar Azam while responding to a question regarding the selection of Hasan Ali.

“Hasan Ali was already in our plans for T20 World Cup 2024. He is a backup of Haris Rauf and we have communicated that to Hasan Ali,” said Riaz during a press conference.

“If Haris gets fit before the England series then he will be our first choice. If we feel Haris Rauf is not fit then Hasan Ali will replace him.”

Notably, Hasan Ali played the last of his 50 T20I matches against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2022.

Pakistan squad for Ireland and England T20Is

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

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam on Monday revealed the reason for the exclusion of all-rounder Aamir Jamal and wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris from the national squad for the upcoming series against Ireland and England.

During the team’s pre-departure press conference, Azam clarified the reasons for excluding Jamal and Haris from the upcoming series, leading to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

“I agree that Haris didn’t get many opportunities after the T20 World Cup [in 2022]. However, he got the chance during [Pakistan Super League] PSL 9 but unfortunately, he wasn’t able to perform there,” Babar Azam stated.

He further shed light on the fact that Haris is a top-order player, and the Pakistan team has a settled top-order, which is also a reason for Haris’ exclusion.

“Haris plays in the top order which already includes me, [Mohammad] Rizwan, Saim [Ayub] and Fakhar [Zaman] which is why there were limited opportunities for him” he added.

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The star-batter also acknowledged Aamir Jamal’s talent as an all-rounder but clarified that his best performances came in Test cricket and a player cannot be selected for T20I based on Test performance.

“Aamir Jamal performed in Test cricket and Test performance cannot be compared with T20s. He is a fine all-rounder. He needs some more time and more matches under his belt which will get him further polished for T20 cricket,” he concluded.

It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistan men’s cricket team is currently participating in a three-day training session here ahead of their three-match T20I series against Ireland.

The team is scheduled to depart for Dublin on 7 May, where they will play three T20Is at Clontarf on 10, 12, and 14 May 2024. All three matches will start at 3 PM local time.

The three-match away series, followed by four T20Is in England, will serve as a stepping stone for the Green Shirts to boast their preparations for this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

Pakistan squad for Ireland and England T20Is

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

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LAHORE: Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim on Saturday, once again brushed aside the claims of any rift between him, Mohammad Amir and white-ball captain Babar Azam.

Imad interacted with the media on the sidelines of the national team’s training session for the Ireland tour and emphasized that his and the entire team’s only goal is to win the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

He further asserted that he would support Pakistan captain Babar Azam, adding that he returned from international retirement for the country.

“We have no issues with Babar. He is the captain of the team and we are all supporting him,” said Imad.

“Maybe Babar has become captain again because he will lead us to the World Cup trophy,” he added.

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Imad Wasim further talked about his return to Pakistan colours and reiterated that his primary goal is to win the World Cup, highlighting the team’s narrow misses in the previous two editions.

“Amir and I returned for one goal – to have one last go and win the World Cup. For the last while we’ve been playing [T20 World Cup] semi-finals and finals, which is a very big achievement.

“But the truth is no one remembers the semi-finalists and finalists. People remember the champions.

“Our goal is to play those semi-finals and finals, and then to win that tournament.

“The result is in God’s hands, but the players’ mentality is to go and win the tournament.”

It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistan men’s cricket team is currently participating in a three-match training session here ahead of their T20I series against Ireland.

All three matches will be held at Clontarf in Dublin on 10, 12 and 14 May 2024 and will start at 3 PM local time.

The three-match away series, followed by four T20Is in England, will serve as a stepping stone for the Green Shirts to boast their preparations for this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

Pakistan squad for Ireland and England T20Is

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

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DUBAI: Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam climbed one spot and closed the gap with top-ranked Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20I Batting Rankings.

Babar Azam jumped to the fourth spot with 763 rating points on the back of his impressive showing during the recently concluded T20I series against New Zealand.

The right-handed batter finished the series with 125 runs in four games, including a half-century in the last game, only behind New Zealand’s Mark Chapman (126).

Yadav continues to lead the T20I batting rankings with 861 rating points, followed by England’s Phil Salt with 802 points and Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan with 784 points.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi climbed three places to joint 14th in the ICC T20I Bowling Rankings after ending the New Zealand series as the highest wicket-taker with eight scalps.

New Zealand bowlers also earned rewards for their gutsy performance against Pakistan as Michael Bracewell rose 13 spots to 55th and Ben Sears jumped 29 places to 60th.

Meanwhile, Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim climbed 10 places to 22nd spot in the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings.

Notably, Wasim reversed his international retirement before the New Zealand series and declared his availability for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

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