Lahore
Pakistani skipper Babar Azam on Saturday became the fastest Pakistani to hit 6,000 T20 runs as the Men In Green defeated South Africa by four wickets at Johannesburg.
The skipper has become the fastest Pakistani and the second person in the world to achieve this feat. He is right behind West Indies Chris Gayle, who hit 6,000 runs back in 2014.
Azam achieved the feat in 165 innings, while Gayle had scored 6,000 runs in 162 innings.
Azam has a lead over Australia’s Shaun Marsh, India’s Virat Kohli, and Australia’s AJ Finch, who had achieved the feat in 180, 184, and 190 innings, respectively.
Former pacer Aaqib Javed has said Indian skipper Virat Kohli could improve his batting if he learns from Pakistani captain Babar Azam’s batting techniques.
He said Kohli could take a leaf out of Azam’s book in a bid to improve his technique, as he simultaneously urged the 26-year-old to follow Kohli’s fitness routine.
The head coach of the Pakistan Super League’s franchise Lahore Qalandars, Javed, said: “Virat Kohli has a better range of shots as compared to Babar Azam, but he also has one area of weakness.”
“If the ball swings, he tends to get trapped around the off-stump such as against James Anderson in England,” Cricket Pakistan quoted him as saying.
“When you look at Babar, you don’t see any weak areas. Just like Sachin Tendulkar who also didn’t have any weak areas. Babar is technically more safe and sound,” he said.
And if the Pakistani skipper follows Kohli’s fitness routine, he could become an even better player, Javed said.
The former pacer praised Azam for being the “backbone” of the Pakistan team for the past couple of years.—Agencies
