Expectations from Babar Azam similar to what I had with Imran Khan: PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja
Former cricketer and newly appointed chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Ramiz Raja, said he did not want to judge the captaincy of Babar Azam.
After taking over as the new PCB chief, Raja said he will work towards giving Pakistan cricket a new direction.
Raja stressed that he needs time to understand his role and more time to know the star batsman better. However, he stressed that he expects a lot from the Pakistan skipper, much like how he wanted Imran Khan to make things happen for the team.
Babar Azam has been leading Pakistan in all 3 formats and he will face a big test when he leads the senior national side at the T20 World Cup in Oman and the UAE.
“It’s too early for me to assess him. It’s important for me to know him better. It’s similarly important for me to understand the role,” Raja said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
“You (as captain) tend to make many demands, some good but others which you need to make a persuasive case for. I did a couple of sessions with him and told him that if you don’t have 400 autograph hunters outside the academy then the whole objective to play cricket has failed. I want a leadership like the one I played under in my era. My expectations for Babar are the same as I had with Imran Khan.”
Babar was named the captain of Pakistan’s 15-member squad which has some major omissions, including Sarfaraz Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman.
Pakistan will also be heading to the T20 World Cup with a new set of coaches after Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis stepped down from their roles earlier this month. The PCB roped in former Australia opener Matthew Hayden and former South Africa fast bowler Vernon Philander as consultant coaches for the T20 tournament, starting October 17 in Oman and the UAE.
