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Amidst the Pakistan national cricket team’s tour of England for the T20I series, Wahab Riaz, serving as the chief selector, faces backlash due to his disrespectful treatment of Azam Khan, the team’s wicketkeeper-batter. The incident occurred during a practice session, causing uproar within cricket circles and sparking discussions online.
As the Men in Green engage in a rigorous four-match T20I series against England, they find themselves trailing 1-0 after adverse weather conditions and a defeat in the second match. Having secured a 2-1 victory in the T20I series against Ireland, Pakistan now aims to bounce back and level the series against England, with their sights set on success in Cardiff.
Wahab Riaz is facing criticism after requesting Azam Khan to carry his shoes, sparking controversy within the cricketing community.
Amidst preparations for Pakistan’s third T20I against England in Cardiff on May 28, a video surfaced online depicting Azam Khan being instructed by the national chief selector, Riaz, to retrieve his shoes. The incident has stirred uproar among fans, who condemn the former pacer’s disrespectful conduct.
In a video circulating on social media, Azam Khan can be seen walking back to the pavilion after completing his practice session in Cardiff. As he picks up his kit bag and heads towards the dressing room, Wahab Riaz calls him from behind, as he is standing far away from the keeper.
Riaz, pointing to his shoes, asked Azam to carry them with him to the dressing room. Despite initially responding with a comment, Azam kindly picked up Riaz’s shoes and took them with him. After the clip of the unexpected moment went viral on social media, fans were slamming Riaz for doing so.
Shahid Afridi, the former captain of Pakistan, has raised doubts about Azam’s suitability for the national team. The iconic all-rounder remarked that he would have refrained from selecting the wicketkeeper-batter due to concerns regarding his fitness level.
Azam’s performance statistics are also less than impressive, with only 88 runs scored at an average of 11 and a strike rate of 146 in his 12 T20Is for the Pakistan national team. His highest score stands at 30 runs. Afridi has further speculated that Khan may encounter difficulties while keeping wickets during the West Indies series.
Afridi had said on the Samaa TV: “Fitness is the main thing. If you are fit, your body language gives it away on the ground, be it while batting, bowling, or fielding. You can’t compromise on fitness. I would never let Azam Khan get anywhere near the team as far as fitness is concerned.”
Azam has secured a spot in Pakistan’s roster for the imminent ICC T20 World Cup 2024, set to take place in the USA and West Indies, commencing from June 1. Pakistan is scheduled to commence their T20 World Cup journey against the co-host, USA, on June 6 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas.