By Siddhant Sinha 17 Apr 2025, 18:23 IST
Babar Azam, a star Pakistani batter, has faced a lot of criticism in the last couple of years for his subpar performances. The batter has failed to leave a mark for his national side and for Peshawar Zalmi, his team in the PSL. Amidst all this, Karachi Kings’ owner has revealed why they released Babar from their team before PSL 2023.
Salman Iqbal, the owner of the Karachi Kings side, has given an interview recently to ARY news. In the interview, the owner revealed why they released Babar Azam before the 2023 season of PSL.
The issue originated from a disagreement over Babar’s batting position. The team management wanted Babar to play at the number three position, considering the team dynamic and team balance. However, Babar did not relent.
He was adamant in securing his opening position. The batter has occupied the opening position for most of his cricketing career. He plays as an opener for the Pakistan cricket team and also in the PSL. Babaz Azam’s unwillingness to compromise led to his exclusion from the Karachi Kings side.
“We wanted him to bat at number three, but he was not ready to change his role,” Salman Iqbal said via ARY News.
Iqbal went on to say, “The management decided to have a complete overhaul of the squad, that’s why we let Babar, Imad (Wasim), and (Mohammad) Amir go’.
Babar Azam has come under scrutiny recently for his repeated failures. The batter has not been in form for a long time now. He doesn’t seem to be in his usual touch. Moreover, there have been questions raised on the batter’s fitness as well.
The ICC Champions Trophy held in Pakistan was a great opportunity for him to show the world his talent and perform for his side. However, he wasn’t able to contribute much as Pakistan couldn’t win even a single game.
Even in the current edition of the PSL, Babar Azam has scored only 1 run across 2 innings. He averages 0.5 at the moment.
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