Pakistan had failed to qualify for the semi-final stage in the ICC World Cup 2019. However, their star batsman Babar Azam kept going from strength to strength.
He became the second-fastest batsman in ODI history to cross 3,000 runs during the tournament.
In 8 innings, 24-year-old Azam amassed 474 runs, which included a blistering 101 not out in a must-win match against New Zealand.
The youngster never failed to surprise with his consistent performances under pressure.
On being asked whose performance he felt was the most impressive in the showpiece event, this is what the youngster had to say –
“I really enjoy watching Kane Williamson bat, apart from when he is scoring runs against Pakistan.”
“What impressed me most about Williamson is the way he paces his innings, the way he plays his shots so late, his calmness at the crease, his timing, the way he handles pressure and the way he leads from the front and absorbs responsibility.”
“He’s just a fantastic role-model for any batsman and he is a batsman who I try to emulate,” he said in an interview with PakPassion.
The right-hander also revealed the secret behind being a good batsman –
“However, I think you can also learn a lot by watching all of the good batsmen around at the moment and I believe you can really improve as a batsman if you take the best components from a combination of good batsmen.”
“If one takes and absorbs from a batsman how he copes in certain conditions, how he handles pressure, how he bats on bouncy tracks or turning tracks, what he is doing to counteract bowlers on seaming pitches then that will definitely improve you as a player and that is exactly what I am trying to do,” he added.
Babar Azam has time and again been compared to Indian run-machine Virat Kohli. He had stated earlier that he and Kohli are two different types of players and hence, such comparisons are not right.
Besides, the explosive batsman also clarified that captaincy was not on his mind. His only focus as of now was to score runs for Pakistan.
Currently, the sensational in-form batsman is playing for Somerset in the Vitality T20 Blast. He has been the leading run-scorer in the tournament so far with 425 runs in 8 innings at an average of over 70.
