Pakistan cricketer Fakhar Zaman defended his teammate Azam Khan against accusations of favoritism in team selection.
Following the announcement of Pakistan's 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, allegations of 'favouritism' from the selectors surfaced. Azam Khan securing a spot triggered widespread skepticism, given his form.
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Criticism against Azam primarily revolves around concerns about his fitness and underwhelming performance in international matches. He has scored only 88 runs from 11 T20I innings, with a batting average of 11. Despite his recent improvements in matches against Ireland, doubts persist over his suitability for the World Cup squad.
During a media interaction before the second T20I against England, a journalist accused the Pakistan team of nepotism and favoritism. Zaman swiftly responded and dismissed the accusation as disrespectful. He emphasized Azam's merit in securing the place in the squad, highlighting his performances in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
"If you (the journalist) make a team, then don't pick Azam. The team is primarily picked by (Gary) Kirsten and Babar Azam. It is disrespectful of you to say such thing for a player. He has been selected due to his good performances in CPL. Please do some research on how a player like Azam Khan has made his way in the World Cup squad. The same question can also pointed on you, that you are here based on some recommendation," Zaman said.
Although, Azam's numbers aren't that great in international T20 matches, he has performed well in all T20 matches that he has played.
| Format | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
| T20s | 152 | 3242 | 109* | 25.13 | 148.37 | 1 | 16 |
The exchange between Zaman and the journalist unfolded amidst anticipation for the second T20I between Pakistan and England, with the first T20I being washed out. In the second T20I, England defeated Pakistan by 23 runs with Azam Khan scoring 11 runs.
READ MORE: T20 Cricket World Cup 2024: Confirmed squads and full team list
