Azam Khan, the son of former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan, has been facing severe criticism and was recently trolled on social media for his body weight and fitness.
The criticism intensified after he was dismissed by a bouncer by England's Mark Wood and then dropped a catch during the recent T20I series between England and Pakistan. This has raised questions about his place in Pakistan's T20 World Cup team.
What did Rashid Latif say about Azam Khan?
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has stepped up to defend Azam Khan.
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He emphasized that Azam is an exceptional T20 batsman who doesn't deserve such treatment.
"I will not blame the player. Mohammad Haris is fit, more agile and in good form. If you wanted a third keeper, he should have been the ideal choice. I will not comment on Azam’s physique, I can comment on his batting, his form, his keeping, his selection. We live in a racist society. If someone’s skin colour is black, we call them kaalu. If someone is fair, we call them gora. If someone is tall he is a lambu, if someone is skinny he is a patlu. I feel bad for the kid, he is only 25. He doesn’t deserve to be trolled like this," said Rashid Latif on a TV show.
Latif also believes that Mohammad Rizwan should be Pakistan's first-choice wicketkeeper. He pointed out that a wicketkeeper plays a crucial role in guiding the game from behind the stumps, which can help captain Babar Azam.
What did other cricket pundits say about Azam Khan?
Other cricket experts have also expressed their concerns about Azam Khan. Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has criticized Azam's fitness and wicket-keeping skills. Afridi mentioned that he would not select Azam for the national team due to his fitness issues.
How has Azam Khan performed in T20Is?
Azam Khan has played 13 T20 international games for Pakistan but has struggled to perform consistently at the international level. He has impressive records in franchise cricket though.
In the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he has scored 1,140 runs in 50 innings with a strike rate of 146.90. He also performed well in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), scoring 659 runs at a strike rate of 135.04.
Azam has been a target of trolls for a long time. He uses the negative comments to motivate himself. On Tabish Hashmi’s show ‘Hasna Mana hai,’ he revealed that he keeps a poster in his room with all the names he has been called. This includes terms like "parchi," "aloo," and "mota." He looks at this poster every day before training to boost his confidence.
While Latif believes that Azam's fielding and fitness need improvement, the former Pakistan backed his inclusion in the playing XI, but as a pure batsman alone not the wicketkeeper.