Pakistan’s cricket has been on a rise recently following their early struggles this year. In a strong comeback Pakistan stormed into the semi finals of the T20 World Cup and continue to impress on the big stage.
The year has also witnessed the coming of age of players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan among others.
Given what has transpired, India’s premier spinner R Ashwin, during a Question/Answer session on Twitter, has named three current cricketers from Pakistan he has high praise for.
Ashwin picked the trio of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi as his favourites.
“I’ve always been following Mohammad Rizwan and have been speaking about him for a while about the quality he brings and plays very crucial knocks but I think the standout batter & the ways he bats, the hundred in Australia, it has to be Babar Azam,” Ashwin said.
“After that real sticker that has been going around, Shaheen Shah Afridi is well, real talent. Pakistan has always some talented cricketers and they have more now.”
Babar, Rizwan and Afridi.
Ashwin’s picks don’t come as much of a surprise. Captain Babar has taken his game to another level and is currently the No.1-ranked ODI batter, besides being No. 3 in T20Is. Babar, 27, emerged as the leading run-getter at the T20 World Cup, scoring 303 runs in six matches which four half-centuries, and in ODIs in the year 2021, the Pakistan skipper has scored 405 runs in only six innings.
Rizwan, on the other hand, has emerged to become the newest superstar of Pakistan cricket. He has set the T20Is on fire, scoring 1326 runs from 26 innings at an average of 73.66. Besides, Rizwan has hit the maximum fours (119) in T20Is and the most sixes (42). In fact, after Virat Kohli, Rizwan’s average of 51.21 in the second best in T20I cricket.
Babar, Rizwan and Afridi played a big part in Pakistan’s 10-wicket win over India at the T20 World Cup. Afridi got rid of the star-studded Indian top order dismissing Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Kohli and finished with seven wickets from 6 matches. In Tests, Afridi is behind Ashwin as the second-highest wicket-taker with 47 scalps.