Imran Khan, the 1992 World Cup-winning captain of Pakistan and a former prime minister, has admitted that he urged the PCB chairman to choose Babar Azam as captain.
Imran Khan on Babar Azam
Imran revealed to Piers Morgan on his TalkTV show on Wednesday how he played a role in Babar Azam being named captain in October 2019 and why he supported him for the position.
“Frankly, I haven’t had enough time to watch the cricket but when I was the Prime Minister, I did because our cricket was going through a bad time; so, I have only watched him [Babar] play twice you know proper innings, and I immediately asked the head of the cricket board to make him the captain because he is a genuine world-class. I think he is an exceptional player. I haven’t seen a player with such versatility, you know with such correct technique, such strokeplay, and temperament. I mean, he has all the qualities.”
Earlier, for his captaincy decisions throughout this World Cup, Babar received a lot of criticism, with many veterans and analysts demanding his removal from the position. The young player, though, was the team’s captain and had also struck his first fifty in the semi-final game in Sydney.
Khan’s statement also shows that Sarfaraz’s and Mickey Arthur’s removal decision also came from him.
Also Read: Pakistanās skipper Babar Azam: From a National Hero to a Struggling Opener.
The former Captain says Pakistan is the favourite for the final.
Further in the interview, Imran claims that the 1992 World Cup will be repeated and that Pakistan will win.
“I think he could go anywhere from here but him as captain makes a lot of sense because you want your captain to be a world-class cricketer so that he commands respect. I think our team looks good, I think we might just win the final, In Sha Allah,” he said.
On Sunday (November 13), Pakistan will face England in the tournament final at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
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