Younis Khan lauds Mohammad Amir’s clever dismissal of Babar Azam

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has praised left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir's strategic bowling after the Quetta Gladiators pacer dismissed Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam in a crucial Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 clash.

Amir’s well-executed plan to dismiss the star batter played a key role in shifting momentum towards Quetta and has since become a major talking point in the tournament.

Chasing a target of 179, Peshawar Zalmi were relying heavily on their captain to stabilize the innings. However, Babar, who was batting on 12, fell victim to an in-swinging delivery from Amir that nipped back and trapped him LBW.

It was the second time Amir had dismissed Babar in this PSL season, having removed him for a duck in their previous encounter.

The on-field rivalry between the seasoned left-arm pacer and Pakistan’s premier top-order batter has captured the attention of fans and analysts alike.

Among those impressed was Younis Khan, who analyzed Amir’s approach during a discussion on a private TV channel.

“Amir didn’t try to dismiss Babar with the first ball. He began with a sharp bouncer, then followed it up with a delivery in the off-stump corridor,” Younis explained.

“He wasn’t in a hurry. He studied Babar’s footwork and reactions. As soon as he sensed that Babar was settling in, Amir changed his plan,” he added.

The former Pakistan captain emphasised that Amir’s variation and cricketing intelligence made the difference.

“Using his experience, Amir brought one back sharply into the stumps. That inswinger caught Babar off guard and resulted in his dismissal. It was a brilliant piece of bowling,” he said.

So far in PSL 10, Mohammad Amir has featured in five matches, taking seven wickets, with best bowling figures of 2 for 11.