Babar Azam was ball-picker in Proteas’ last tour to Pakistan

Pak vs SA: Babar Azam was ball-picker in Proteas’ last tour to Pakistan

By Web Desk
January 24, 2021
Babar Azam was ball-picker in Proteas’ last tour to Pakistan / Photo: AFP

Pakistan’s captain and star batsman Babar Azam was a ball-picker when South African cricket team last toured Pakistan 14 years ago.

In an emotional video shared by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the 26-year-old revealed that his journey of becoming the Test captain was first inspired from a match between Pakistan and South Africa in 2007.

“I had passion for the game but I really wanted to see international stars playing in front of me. When South African team was here in 2007, I asked someone to help me become a ball picker,” Babar said. “I used to go daily from Gulberg to Gaddafi Stadium. I used to enjoy picking up balls.”

The Pakistani skipper said that he remembers watching the farewell innings of former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq where he got dismissed before breaking Javed Miandad’s record. “I witnessed it all live. I saw the way he went back to the dressing room and took his anger out on the bat,” he said.

Babar added that while his journey has not been easy, he is grateful to be leading the side against South Africa. “This journey has been long and tough but I feel blessed to be making my Test captaincy debut against the same team,” he said.

The middle-order batsman will be leading the national team for the first time in red-ball cricket in the first Test against South Africa scheduled to begin on January 26 at National Stadium Karachi.

Read: Pakistan pretty dangerous with Babar Azam: Faf du Plessis

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