Azam Khan is set to don the Pakistan jersey in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Despite facing criticism over his fitness, the 25-year-old batter has secured a spot in the most prestigious tournament in T20 cricket. However, he struggled to make an impact in the T20I series against England leading up to the tournament. In the last match of the series at Kennington Oval yesterday, Azam Khan was dismissed for a 5-ball duck.
Mark Wood’s fierce bouncer leaves Azam Khan clueless
Mark Wood, in the 11th over of Pakistan’s innings, left Azam Khan clueless. Wood delivered a fierce bouncer that aimed directly at the batter like a missile. Azam tried to evade the ball, but his reflexes were not quick enough to move away from the ball’s trajectory. As a result, the bouncer struck Azam Khan’s gloves, then his shoulder, and finally ended up in Jos Buttler’s gloves.
Some netizens blamed the batter’s fitness for this dismissal, but the delivery itself deserves appreciation. This brutal bouncer from Mark Wood could have unsettled any world-class batter. Wood’s powerful shoulders enable him to regularly break the 150 KMPH barrier.
Absolute savagery from Mark Wood 🤯#EnglandCricket | #ENGvPAK pic.twitter.com/zrrksjNF95
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 30, 2024
In the match, Pakistan was bundled out for 157 runs, and England chased down the target in just 15.3 overs. England clinched the 4-match series by 2-0, with two games washed out by rain. The Jos Buttler-led side heads into the T20 World Cup with boosted confidence, while Pakistan will need to reflect on their performance during the England tour and analyze what went wrong.
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Azam Khan’s form is also a concern. The son of Pakistan legend Moeen Khan managed to score only 11 runs in the two matches he played. Following his selection in the T20 World Cup squad, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi had raised concerns over his fitness. Afridi criticized his selection, emphasizing that fitness is paramount for an athlete.
