Babar Azam. | (Image Credits: X)
Pakistan batter Babar Azam has requested the fans and media to stop calling him ‘King’ while speaking to the reporters after their commanding win over South Africa on Wednesday in what was a virtual knockout game of the tri-series. The right-handed batter suggested that he is into a new role currently and wants to concentrate solely on his batting performance.
The Lahore-born cricketer’s struggles continued on Wednesday as Wiaan Mulder trapped him lbw for 23 when the Men in Green were chasing a daunting 353. However, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha stitched a record-breaking stand of 261 to propel the home side over the line with one over to spare.
After the game, here’s what Babar said while speaking to the reporters:
“Pehli baat toh yeh hai king king bolna zara kam karein. Main koi king nahin hoon. Ab mere liye naye role hain.”
(I want to request to everyone not to call me king. I’m not any king and I want to focus on my new role).
“Khushdil said we had chased 350 before” – Mohammad Rizwan
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rizwan said the conversation in the middle with Salman was all about setting small targets for themselves. However, he acknowledged that Pakistan’s fielding must improve and hopes to see them peak when the Champions Trophy begins.
“When God helps, you break all kinds of records. We gave our full effort. We were looking to restrict them to 320 but Klaasen took them to 350. When we were going back after the first innings, Khushdil said we had chased 350 before. Someone said we had chased 340 against some other team. When Agha and I were batting, we set targets for five-five overs. We failed to achieve that a couple of times but mostly did. Our fielding still needs some improvement. Hopefully, we will be able to do it because that’s how champion teams play.”
Pakistan will meet New Zealand in the tri-series’ final on Friday.
