No Communication Gap Among Players, Asserts Babar Azam

Pakistan Captain Babar Azam on Wednesday said that there was no communication gap on the rotation and switching of roles of the players in the tea

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2024) Pakistan Captain Babar Azam on Wednesday said that there was no communication gap on the rotation and switching of roles of the players in the tea.

Addressing a press conference at the Gaddafi stadium here, Babar Azam said the management was looking for the right combination for the first four positions in the team before the ICC mega event next month, adding that the players were fully taken into confidence.

The Green Shirts would face the Black Caps in the fourth T20I of the five-match rubber at the Gaddafi stadium on Thursday (tomorrow).

He outrightly rejected the impression in the media that some players were unhappy with the switching of batting spots during the New Zealand series. He said was unmoved by the criticism and had always stuck to what was the best for team, adding that the loss against the New Zealand in the last T20I was of not much concern.

He said that the team was a well-knitted unit and there was not room for misunderstanding, adding that a defeat did not mean there was some rift among the players.

On the loss against the young New Zealand side in the 3rd T20I of the series, Babar Azam said it was not due to expensive bowling spells by Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi but the whole team could not put up the effort required to overcome the opposition.

“We win and lose as a team and it is not an occasion for blame game,” Babar remarked. “We have faith in one another as a team,” he asserted.

Babar hoped that Mohammad Rizwan’s injury was minor and would be part of the team on the Ireland tour next month well before the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup in West Indies and USA, adding that Rizwan was an integral part of the team who had given wonderful performance for the team.

Wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan and all-rounder Irfan Khan Niazi had been rested due to hamstring injuries for the remaining two matches of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

On the injuries, Babar Azam said the two-week long fitness camp at military academy Kakul had nothing to do with the hamstring injuries to Azam Khan, Mohammad Rizwan and Irfan Khan Niazi, adding that injuries were part of the game. He said the PCB ensured that all players were taken well care of. He said fitness regime continued throughout the year and the Kakul Camp was not the reason of injuries.