Karachi Kings’ captain Imad Wasim, in an interview with Cricket Pakistan, claimed that there side is not relying solely on prolific batsman and Pakistan’s national team captain Babar Azam during the playoff stages of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season five.
The 31-year-old believed that Babar had been on track to be the best player in the world and had now achieved that status.
“I have been saying for a long time that Babar will be one of the best players in the world and now he is right up there with the best. The way he is batting, he is a match-winner,” said Wasim.
“We have other players who are great as well such as Sharjeel and Rutherford. In big moments one or two players performing can win the match for us. It’s a team game. It’s everyone’s job to contribute and win matches for us,” he added.
He also backed opener Sharjeel to come good despite fitness concerns.
“Sharjeel’s fitness doesn’t bother me. If he performs as well as we expect than we don’t have any problems. We selected him in the side because of his skills and because he is a match-winner. His batting is the most important thing for us as a team,” he said.
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Imad praised the Multan Sultans franchise for their meteoric rise in the PSL 5 while claiming that fast-bowler Mohammad Amir was a vital player for his franchise.
“Multan Sultans played well against us. They are number one for a reason. We will have to play out of our skins. We will have to execute our plans well. They have a lot of match winners. We will not be taking them lightly. We also have match winners in the side. The match will be good,” he said.
“Being in and out of the side is a part of the game. Everyone has their own opinions. I have no question marks over Amir and he has been best performer for a long time. Pakistan team is a different concern. Franchise cricket is a different thing entirely. We take both very seriously. I think he will give a 100 per cent and we will try to give him the chance to do it,” he added.
The all-rounder stated that the team would dearly miss the late coach Dean Jones in their upcoming matches.
“I learned a lot from Dean Jones. I think he was the best coach in the world. I think the things he taught me in a short span, I hadn’t learned throughout my career. I can honestly say that I have never come across a better coach. Wasim bhai knows us all very well personally. He has been with the side for a while. We will obviously miss Dean Jones. We will try to follow Wasim bhai the same way we did with Dean Jones,” he said.
He also admitted that he will miss the fans in the stadium as the matches are set to be played behind closed doors due to Covid-19 pandemic.
“We will definitely miss the crowds. We are really disappointed that fans cannot come but safety comes first. I am hopeful that our fans will support us from their homes,” he concluded.
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