Not often an active player critcises his selection process in the national team. But that maybe only an Indian thing. In the neighbouring country, Pakistan, it’s not odd for players to lash out at the captain or cricket board. Azam Khan, who has been in and out of the squad, has lashed out at Pakistan Cricket Board and has sent a message to Desert Vipers teammate Shaheen Afridi who is also the Pakistan captain, saying “Give me a full series or leave me out.”
“In the last 4 years, I have made a comeback three times and I have never played a full series, so it hurts me a little that either you give me the full series or leave me out altogether, or don’t hang me in the middle, so I regret this thing,” Azam Khan in a candid discussion in a video posted by ILT20 franchise Desert Vipers.
Injustice to Azam Khan?
Since making his Pakistan debut in 2021, Azam Khan has scored 5, 1, 0, 1, 10, 2 and 10 in eight matches so far. In the ILT20 2024, he has scored 159 runs at 176.67 strike rate.
However, he has not played a full series yet. On the England tour in 2021, he played two out of three T20Is. Agains Afghanistan in the UAE, Azam Khan played 2 out of three T20Is.
For the first time ever, Azam Khan played three consecutive T20Is for Pakistan on the New Zealand tour. However, he was left out of the final two T20Is.
While Sanju Samson has never spoken out against “injustice” to his selection, Azam Khan wants is upset that he has not got the opportunities he deserves.
“I have always understood that when I play league cricket, I get a complete opportunity. They know I can win them games, so they are calling me here. That means either you are putting doubts in my mind that I am not good at this level, then it’s okay, then I will find my own way,” added Azam Khan, who is the son of former Pakistan cricketer Moin Khan.
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PSL vs National Team
While one can argue that Azam Khan has been rather poor for Pakistan Cricket Team, the story is completely different in Pakistan Super League.
Azam Khan has scored 914 runs at a strike rate of 141.92, one of the highest among Pakistani batters in PSL. he believes the foreign coaches treat him differently and that has helped him put up the best performances.
“It is obvious that I play all my cricket with a full mindset, and when someone comes and puts doubts in it, then I get a little frustrated, because when I play with foreign coaches, they never make me feel like I am lacking something, but yes, when I play for the Pakistan team, I feel like I am lacking something because when I watch my batting, my innings, then I say that I am not less than any player,” Azam Khan said.
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