England veteran fast bowler Stuart Broad has heaped praise on Pakistan Test vice-captain Babar Azam. Broad stated that Babar Azam is a really class player and it is evident by his strokeplay. Azam is a technically correct batsman and there is hardly any chink in his armor. The right-hander has shown the skills to go a long way in his career.
Babar Azam is often compared with the likes of Virat Kohli and Steven Smith and he has been a consistent performer for Pakistan. Former England captain Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan had recently stated that Azam should be part of the ‘fab four’.
Babar Azam has shown all the right promise
On the other hand, Babar Azam was a crucial wicket for England on the second day’s play. The right-hander was dismissed by experienced Stuart Broad when he got an outside edge through to Jos Buttler. Azam scored 47 runs and he was getting into his groove to get a big score.
“Babar Azam is a really classy player which you can see by some of the shots he played….we knew he would be a big wicket and I was pleased to get him out,” Broad told BBC.
Stuart Broad has thus far scalped three wickets in the ongoing second Test match. The first two days have been interrupted by the rain and only 86 overs have been possible. Pakistan has scored 223-9 and the visitors’ wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan scored a gutsy knock of unbeaten 60 after they were tottering at 126-5 on an opening day.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam had scored a fine knock of 69 runs in the first innings of the first Test match. Thus, the right-hander needs to convert his starts into substantial scores. The flamboyant batsman has been averaging around 65 in the last 18 months in the Test fold and he has done a fine job.
England currently leads the three-match series by 1-0 after winning the first match by three wickets.
Babar Azam will lead Pakistan in the upcoming T20I series against England.
