KARACHI: Islamabad United's wicketkeeper batter Azam Khan told Geo News on Friday that joining the two-time Pakistan Super League (PSL) winning side changed his side.
Azam, who previously played for Quetta Gladiators, joined Islamabad in 2022 and has been playing as a wicketkeeper batter since then. His main role in the team is to play in the middle order and provide for his side with his aggressive cricket.
"Coming to Islamabad United has changed my life," said Azam Khan. "The PSL is going quite well. The players are in good form, but I'm never satisfied with my performance. I always strive to do better."
Azam Khan reflected on the unpredictable nature of cricket stating that failure awaits more than success in this sport.
"Cricket is a game where success is less and failure is more. A person can score 500 runs in five matches and then get out for a duck in the next."
He then went on to state that he always has his mind on the present rather than the future and his focus is entirely on his performance.
"I don't focus too much on the distant future; I remain focused on the present," Azam remarked. "Whether I get selected for the Pakistan team or not is up to the selectors. I am focused on my performance.
"I try to perform in a way that there is no need for any explanation," he added. "I want to be selected based on my current performance, not my past."
He also talked about the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup which will be played in the United States and West Indies saying that the playing conditions in the latter's grounds are no longer the same.
"The conditions in the West Indies won't be the same as before. The par score is now 180," he added. "For players aspiring to play in the World Cup, the PSL provides a good platform," he concluded.
The 25-year-old expressed that his batting order doesn't allow him to score a century in T20 cricket as when he comes to bat, there are not enough balls left.
"It becomes difficult to make a century when I come in at a lower number," he admitted. "I still regret not finishing the match against Zalmi.
"Aarif Yaqoob and Obaid Shah are excellent bowlers," he praised. "I try to attack the best bowler of the opposing team. If I can attack the main bowler, others come under pressure."
Faizan Lakhani Faizan Lakhani is Deputy Editor (Sports) at Geo News.- Azam Khan
