"There’s no one close to my batting numbers at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions in Pakistan" - Azam Khan urges selectors to provide long run in T20Is
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan claimed his batting numbers as a finisher at Nos. 5 and 6 are unmatched by anyone else in the national setup.
Despite debuting for Pakistan in T20Is in 2021, the 25-year-old has played only eight games and has been dropped five times. The lack of a continued run means Azam averages a dismal 4.83 in those eight outings, with a highest score of only 10.
In an interview with Cricwick, Azam was disappointed with the lack of continuous opportunities to play for Pakistan in T20Is.
"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. There’s no one close to my batting numbers at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions in Pakistan," said Azam Khan.
The son of former wicketkeeper Moin Khan, Azam debuted in the three-match T20I series in England in 2021 but played only the first two games. The right-handed batter was part of the playing XI in the opener of the four-match T20I series against the West Indies the following month.
However, Azam didn't get the opportunity to bat in the match and subsequently did not participate in the remainder of the series. It took him another two years to return to the T20I side against Afghanistan in 2023.
He played the first two games of that series before featuring in the first three T20Is of the recent five-match series against New Zealand.
"I know I have this opportunity to make money but I want to play for Pakistan" - Azam Khan
Azam Khan felt he would be financially well-equipt with the numerous T20 Leagues across the globe but expressed his desire to represent Pakistan.
The gloveman also claimed only a handful of batters in the world have better T20 numbers than him, with an average and strike rate combination of over 25 and 145.
"If I stand among these T20 greats in terms of average and strike rate and I am not given the confidence, cricket has become so fast-paced that it won’t be a financial problem for me because you get so many league cricket tournaments. I know I have this opportunity to make money but I want to play for Pakistan," said Azam.
"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. The complete list includes Tim David, Glenn Phillips, Glenn Maxwell, Nicholas Pooran, Azam Khan, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Harry Brook, Suryakumar Yadav, Marcus Stoinis, Liam Livingstone and Heinrich Klaasen," he added.
Azam does have some credibility in his claims as only four batters with a minimum of 1,700 runs and an average of 25+ at Nos. 5 and 6 have better strike rates than him. The list includes Glenn Maxwell, Heinrich Klaasen, Tim David, and Andre Russell.
"If you give me a long run and I don’t perform, I have no problem if Pakistan drop me. I will try to find a way in by performing in domestic cricket, different leagues," concluded Azam.
The 25-year-old has scored over 3,000 runs in 152 T20 games at an average of 25.17 and a strike rate of 147.22.
Azam is currently playing for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and averages 29.66 at a strike rate of 202.27 in four outings.