"Azam Khan is not maintaining his weight and gaining more"- Former Pakistan Test cricketer Azhar Ali

Former Pakistan cricketers Azhar Ali and Misbah-ul-Haq have expressed concerns over Azam Khan's weight gain trend.

The keeper-batter's fitness level has been a massive talking point in recent years despite his exploits in the PSL for Islamabad United. The 25-year-old's lack of requisite fitness level has often rendered him a liability behind the stumps and while running between the wickets. Having played 8 T20Is for Pakistan, Khan has only managed 29 runs with a highest of 10.

Speaking on a local sports channel, Azhar Ali observed that the right-hander's weight was a lot lesser last year. He said:

"While watching, it seems like Azam Khan is not maintaining his weight and gaining more. That is not a good thing to see because I feel if you saw him two years ago, his weight was less."

Misbah-ul-Haq added his thoughts on the matter, saying:

"Since after coming back from 2013 he has gained around 130."

The 25-year-old so far has had a decent run in the PSL 2023-24 edition. Plying his trade for Islamabad United, the keeper-batter has amassed 118 runs in 6 matches, averaging a decent 39.33, but possesses a strike rate of 203.33.

"There’s no one close to my batting numbers at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions in Pakistan" - Azam Khan

During a recent interview with CricWick, the right-hander suggested that he has often been made a scapegoat of Pakistan losing matches, but there's hardly a better finisher than him in the country. He claimed:

"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. I get frustrated sometimes. Yes, I deserve an opportunity. I have made three comebacks into the Pakistan team in the past five years."

He added:

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."

A few strong performances could prop up the youngster for a spot in Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad this year.