Former Pakistan wicket-keeper Moin Khan has come out in support of his son Azam Khan amid his failures in white-ball cricket for the Men in Green. Moin blamed former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja for dropping Azam ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and feels a lack of continuity in the selection process is the main reason behind his son’s below-par performances.
Azam made his debut in July 2021 but hasn’t been able to cement his place in the national team. The 26-year-old has amassed 88 runs in 14 T20Is at an average of 8.8. He has been under the scanner for his poor fitness.
“He was in the team for the 2022 (2021) World Cup, but Ramiz Raza dropped him. At that time, if the chief selector had made a wrong decision, he should have been sacked, but Ramiz was allowed to continue as the PCB didn’t have the courage to remove him, and it demoralized a young player. In this World Cup as well, you saw how the management played him,” Azam Khan told Cricket Pakistan.
Moin questioned the need to drop Azam after only one game in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“I watched the T20 World Cup and the matches before that. It seemed Azam was the number-one choice for wicket-keeping duties and batting. Azam wasn’t given a chance to keep wickets after one contest and was dropped from the playing XI after getting dismissed on the first ball,” he added.
In Pakistan’s first game against the USA, Azam failed to open his account and was not given a chance against India, Canada, and Ireland.
“Azam needs to work on his fitness”: Moin Khan
Moin said that his son needs to improve his fitness levels to become a good cricketer. “I am not blaming the team management for everything, as Azam has his shortcomings too. He will have to work on his fitness. For the past month, Azam has started working hard to improve his fitness,” he said.
“The decision-makers will have to back players to produce good cricketers in the country. If they keep dropping players, the team will never have the services of match-winners.”
Azam is currently playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL 2024.