KARACHI: Asian Bradman Zaheer Abbas has advised former Pakistan captain and star batter Babar Azam to bring consistency in his game.
The 29-year-old managed to score only 126 runs in six innings of Test series against Australia but returned to form with scores of 57 and 66 respectively in the first two T20Is against New Zealand.
The 76-year-old, while talking exclusively to Geo News, is hoping that Babar will soon win matches for Pakistan with the bat.
"Babar Azam will have to play consistently. He is a good player and I am hoping he will win matches for Pakistan," he said.
Meanwhile, Zaheer stressed Pakistan need to bounce back in the series against New Zealand.
"The team made mistakes in the first two T20Is which need to be rectified. Unless good catches are not taken or fielding is not well, we cannot win the match," he added.
On the other hand, he also talked about Indo-Pak cricket relations which have been halted for more than a decade now.
"The distance between India and Pakistan is only of two steps. Indian cricket team should come to Pakistan and play. It's regretting that India's matches are not held in Pakistan," he maintained.
It must be noted that Pakistan are 2-0 down in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Pace bowler Adam Milne claimed four wickets as New Zealand beat Pakistan by 21 runs in the second T20I.
The tourists threw away a strong position in their run chase after Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman scored half-centuries as they were dismissed for 173 in the final over, in response to New Zealand´s 194-8.
Victory came at a cost for the Black Caps, whose captain Kane Williamson retired hurt with a hamstring injury while batting.
Williamson won’t take any further part in the series, coach Gary Stead said Monday.
Williamson was already set to miss the third game on Wednesday, and with the first Test against South Africa less than three weeks away, Stead said his star batter would sit out the final two games as well.
"With the Test matches so close as well and in the big scheme of things (they are) a higher priority I think we´ll try and make sure he´s right for that," Stead said.
Tim Seifert is expected to replace Williamson in the batting line, with Stead indicating Seifert was already set to replace Devon Conway as wicketkeeper at some stage in the series.
Jaffar Hussain- Babar Azam
- Zaheer Abbas
