During a recent interview, Pakistan’s white-ball skipper, Babar Azam, ignored India’s pace ace Jasprit Bumrah for Naseem Shah. In a surprising turn, Azam lavished praise on the emerging fast bowler Naseem Shah, drawing parallels that sparked intrigue among cricket enthusiasts.
Considered one of cricket’s all-time great bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah has been a game-changer for Team India on the global stage. Currently, he’s leading the pace attack for the Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL 2024.
In the 2023 ODI World Cup, Bumrah impressed with 20 wickets in 11 matches, making him India’s second-highest wicket-taker and the tournament’s fourth overall. His teammate Mohammed Shami topped the list with 24 dismissals.
Despite Bumrah’s reputation as the go-to bowler in crunch situations, Pakistan captain Babar Azam revealed an unexpected preference for another pacer. Speaking about his choice, Babar expressed confidence in young fast bowler Shah, suggesting he might lean towards Shah over the seasoned Bumrah in tense T20 scenarios. This statement might come as a surprise to Indian fans.
During a recent podcast, Babar faced a hypothetical question: who would he trust to defend 10 runs in the final over of a T20 match, Naseem Shah or Jasprit Bumrah? Babar promptly chose the 20-year-old Shah without hesitation.
Babar praised Shah’s resilience and skill, citing his swift recovery from a shoulder injury that kept him out of action for over six months.
Praising Naseem, Babar added, “Naseem Shah. Firstly, I felt so happy for Naseem, for the way he returned to cricket after injury and the way he recovered. His skills are exceptional. We don’t often see talent like this in Pakistan.”
“There are others too, like Shaheen Shah Afridi. Shaheen is in a class of his own. but Naseem is on a similar trajectory, gaining valuable experience,” he also added.
Shah proved to be a crucial asset for Islamabad United, demonstrating his skill as a key player by taking 15 wickets in 11 innings, all while maintaining an impressive economy rate of 7.56. His exceptional performance with the ball significantly contributed to Islamabad United’s triumph in securing the PSL title earlier this year.
Babar’s reinstatement as the captain of Pakistan was marred by controversy, as he took over from Shaheen amid a swirl of conflicting reports. The PCB issued a statement refuting quotes attributed to the bowler, alleging them to be fabricated.
Here is how fans slammed Babar Azam for his remarks:
