‘I Will Never Allow Him Anywhere Near My Team’: Ex-Pakistan Captain’s Brutal Take on Azam Khan’s Fitness

Shahid Afridi, the legendary Pakistani all-rounder, has launched a scathing attack on Azam Khan, Pakistan’s current wicket-keeper batter and a member of the T20 World Cup 2024 squad.

Azam Khan, despite being a prolific scorer in domestic cricket, has struggled to translate that success to the international stage. In his 11 T20 appearances for Pakistan, he has only managed a meagre 88 runs.

Shahid Afridi criticized Azam Khan not only for his batting performance but also for his fitness levels. He urged Pakistan captain Babar Azam to drop Khan from the team in the T20 World Cup, expressing concerns about his ability to handle wicket-keeping duties in the slow, low-bouncing conditions expected in the USA and West Indies, which will co-host the tournament.

“Fitness is paramount,” Afridi remarked. “If you’re fit, it shows on the field in your batting, bowling, and fielding. Fitness is non-negotiable. As far as fitness is concerned, I would never let Azam Khan get anywhere near the team.”

He elaborated on the challenges Khan might face:

“In England, the ball carries behind the stumps (while keeping). But in the West Indies, the ball won’t carry as much and will stay low. I hope he doesn’t struggle, but I’m worried about his keeping against spinners in West Indian conditions with this fitness level. The ball stays low there, and you need to be low as well to keep it effectively.”

Azam Khan kept wickets in the second T20I against England, but could not contribute with the bat, and it will be interesting to see if Babar Azam continues with him in the third T20I, which will be a do-or- die game for Pakistan.