LAHORE: Pakistan’s ace batsman Babar Azam has become the first player to play 100 matches in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam played his 100th match against Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Imad Wasim has played 98 matches and Fakhar Zaman appeared in 94 matches.
Babar Azam has played for Islamabad United, Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi.
A LEAN PATCH
Babar Azam, who has been struggling to regain form for quite some time, recently responded gracefully to criticism, stating that while he too can speak up, he chooses respect over reaction because that’s what he was taught by his elders.
Speaking to media in Lahore, Babar said, “Everyone knows how to talk, including me, but self-respect matters. I was raised to respect others, no matter what.”
Addressing performance-related pressure, he acknowledged that fans expected him to stay longer at the crease. “People enjoy watching me bat and have high expectations. While I enjoy playing short innings too, sometimes I’m not able to meet those expectations,” he admitted.
Babar further explained, “I do make mistakes, and I try to learn from them, but sometimes new mistakes happen – that’s part of cricket. The important thing is how focused you stay, and I remain fully focused on my game.”
Earlier, he admitted he was not performing to the level expected of him. He told reporters that while he felt highly confident during net sessions, he had been unable to replicate that form during matches.
“I always try to give my 100%, but sometimes despite best efforts, things don’t go as planned,” he said.
He added, “When people feel disappointed, I feel disappointed too. Often what you plan doesn’t happen on the field.”
