The cricketer’s coach has spoken out in support of him amid harsh criticism on social media over Pakistani power hitter Azam Khan’s performance in the most recent three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
Azam, who managed just a single in two games against the neighbors, took a beating for his sluggish reflexes behind the wickets, which also reignited the comments about his weight and health.
Fans and former cricket players questioned the health of the wicketkeeper.
Shehzar Muhammad, Khan’s coach, who has also played first-class cricket and has coached several of Pakistan’s top players, including Azam, called the criticism of Khan’s weight “unfair.”
“Unfortunately, unlike other sports like boxing and MMA, there are no weight categories in cricket, thus Azam fits into the heavyweight category. His weight helps him produce power, and I know an athlete should look like an athlete.
Azam, a right-handed batter, was called up to the T20I team after scoring a total of 282 runs in 10 PSL 8 games. A few incredible match-winning runs in Rawalpindi made Azam a top choice in the franchise competition, but as they say, a single poor performance in Pakistan puts a player under the knife.
Azam was once again criticized for his weight after dropping a vital catch behind the wickets during the second T20I against Afghanistan.
From his debut, Azam has faced this criticism.
Azam shed approximately 30 lbs under Shehzar’s supervision a few years ago, and many people were startled by his new appearance since it demonstrated the hard effort the cricketer had put in.
“You like Azam’s sixers, strike rate, and propensity to quickly take control of the game. His power and bulk are the source of all of it.
If I give you the example of Rizwan and Shan, they are really active and it helps them be consistent. In Azam’s situation, there is a difference since he has been overweight from infancy, he said. “I am not saying Azam doesn’t need to get fit.
Azam may be able to drop weight, but it will depend on how well he is cared for, according to Shehzar.
In the event of drastic weight reduction, the trainer insisted, “He might lose power.”
Sarfaraz Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Mohammad Abbas, and Asad Shafiq were among the numerous national cricket players Shehzar, who participated in 45 first-class matches, coached.
The 31-year-old former cricketer who is now a trainer pleaded with viewers not to condemn Azam based on two subpar outings.
You need to give him room to flourish. If you can give Asif Ali enough opportunities to succeed, then why not Azam? He is mature and can win you matches, so don’t dismiss him based on two poor performances. He has the best strike rate against the finest spinners in the world.
Azam played his first Twenty20 match against England in 2021. He was only able to participate in three T20Is at that time, scoring only six runs. The Pakistani wicket-keeper batsman has participated in five T20I matches thus far.
Azam, on the other hand, has scored 2245 runs in 112 T20 games with a strike rate of 142.44 and an average of 24.40.
