Babar, Sarfaraz, Saqlain pay tribute to Azhar Ali

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, head coach Saqlain Mushtaq and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed have paid tribute to Azhar Ali, who retired from Test cricket earlier today.

In a video released by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Azam said that Ali has helped him a lot over the course of his career.

“As a captain and as a youngster, I have learned a lot of things from you [Azhar Ali]. When I was struggling, you helped me a lot,” said Azam.

Ahmed also lauded the former captain and one of the best batters in Pakistan’s cricket history.

“You [Azhar Ali] have helped Pakistan with many memorable innings. I’m speechless at the moment but I wish you all the best for the future,”

Meanwhile, Mushtaq shed light on Ali’s remarkable personality.

“He has great personality and I have never seen a person like him. No player has such a clean character and career like Azhar Ali,” said Mushtaq. 

The third Test against England, which begins tomorrow, will be Azhar’s last in the longest format of the game. He was dropped from the side for the second Test of the series in Multan.

Azhar was one of Pakistan's most successful batters, with 7,097 runs in 96 matches at an average of 42.49.

The right-hander is Pakistan’s fifth leading Test run-getter behind Younis Khan (10,099), Javed Miandad (8,832), Inzamam-ul-Haq (8,829) and Mohammad Yousuf (7,530).

In 2010, Azhar, as a 25-year-old, made his Test debut in England against Australia at Lord’s and scored his maiden Test half-century in only his second match. 

He notched up 35 half-centuries and went past the 100-run mark on 19 instances over the course of his career.

The 37-year-old also led Pakistan in nine Tests in two separate tenures from 2016 till 2020.

Azhar, 37, is the only Pakistan batter to score a triple-century in a pink-ball Test — a feat that he achieved against the West Indies at Dubai in 2016. That unbeaten 302 remains his highest score in Test cricket.