Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan has asserted that his performance as a finisher at positions 5 and 6 is unparalleled within the national team. Despite making his T20I debut for Pakistan in 2021, the 25-year-old has faced inconsistency, being dropped from the squad on five occasions. Consequently, Azam Khan has only played eight matches, resulting in a disappointing average of 4.83 with a highest score of just 10.
The team always comes first for me- Azam Khan
In an interview with Cricwick, Azam Khan expressed disappointment 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 Khan, made his debut in the three-match T20I series in England in 2021 but played only the first two games. He was also 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 against the West Indies 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 have this opportunity to make money but I want to play for Pakistan- Azam Khan
Azam Khan feels financially well-equipped with the numerous T20 leagues across the globe but expresses his desire to represent Pakistan. He also claims that 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.
If I don’t perform, I have no problem if Pakistan drop me- Azam Khan
“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 Khan 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 Azam Khan has scored over 3,000 runs in 152 T20 games at an average of 25.17 and a strike rate of 147.22.
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