Gautam Gambhir Praises Babar Azam's World Cup Potential

Abdullah Hussain (@Abdulla99267510) Published September 23, 2023 | 06:44 PM

The former Indian cricketer says Babar Azam possesses all the qualities to set this World Cup on fire.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Sept 23^rd, 2023) Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir on Saturday lauded the exceptional batting abilities of Pakistan's captain, expressing the belief that he has the potential to shine in the upcoming World Cup.

In an interview on an Indian tv channel, Gambhir was asked to single out one batsman to watch in the upcoming World Cup. Despite the host presenting prominent Names such as India's Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Australia's David Warner and Steve Smith, New Zealand's Kane Williamson, and England's Joe Root, Gambhir's choice was clear: Babar Azam.

Gambhir commended Babar Azam, stating, "Babar Azam possesses all the qualities to set this World Cup on fire. I have not seen many players who have such impeccable timing. While we certainly have greats like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, David Warner, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root, Babar Azam's caliber is of a different order."

Babar Azam currently holds the top spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings as the world's leading one-day international (ODI) batsman, boasting a rating of 857. In Test cricket, he holds the fourth position with a rating of 829. Impressively, Azam has maintained his position as the number one ODI batsman for nearly 900 days.

The Pakistan cricket team is set to commence their World Cup campaign on October 6 with a match against the Netherlands in Hyderabad. The most highly anticipated fixture of the tournament will see Pakistan face India on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, expected to draw a crowd of 132,000 spectators.