Babar Azam shares future plan after leading Peshawar Zalmi to PSL glory

LAHORE: Pakistan’s premier batter Babar Azam has reaffirmed his commitment to representing the national side across all three formats, despite a challenging run of form in recent months.

A consistent presence in Pakistan’s line-up throughout his career, the 31-year-old endured a dip in performances earlier this year, including a modest outing during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

However, Babar has since rediscovered his rhythm, leading Peshawar Zalmi to a title-winning campaign in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) by defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen in the grand finale at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

This marked Babar Azam’s first title as captain and Peshawar Zalmi’s second Pakistan Super League title overall, having previously lifted the trophy under former West Indies captain Darren Sammy in 2017.

The right-hander enjoyed a prolific tournament, amassing two centuries in 11 matches to finish as the leading run-scorer, a performance that has reignited his confidence ahead of international assignments.

Speaking about his future ambitions, Babar emphasised the importance of excelling in all formats of the game.

“My focus is on all three formats,” he said. “I feel a batter should play all cricket and should not limit himself to white-ball cricket.

“Red-ball cricket teaches you the art of batting long and instils patience in you. It helps you to understand how you can score big runs and all the learnings from the red-ball game help you in white-ball cricket.”

Babar is expected to carry his renewed form into Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh, where they will feature in a two-match Test series beginning Friday, part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.

Notably, the last time Babar registered a Test century dates back to December 2022. His white-ball returns prior to the PSL were also below par, with his only half-century this year coming in a T20I against Australia ahead of the World Cup.

Reflecting on his lean patch, Babar acknowledged the need for self-assessment and resilience.

“I was not up to my own expectations, but it is normal for a batter to struggle with his execution,” he admitted. “You have to take a few steps back and assess where you are going wrong and correct it.

“You need support in such times, and my family and close friends kept me motivated. I discussed the areas of improvement with the coaches who are close to me and worked on them.

“Life is like a rollercoaster, and things never stay the same. You learn from your good and bad experiences. That is how life goes,” he concluded.