Babar opens up on workload management ahead of QeA Trophy final

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Pakistan’s prolific batsman Babar Azam, in a press conference on Thursday, opened up on the workload management of the players ahead of the final of the first-class Quaid-e-Azam (QeA) Trophy tournament between Central Punjab and Northern which commences from Friday, December 27, at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Babar, who will captain Central Punjab in the final, explained why some bowlers on the national side had been rested while the batsmen were asked to compete in the final.

“The players who have been rested had been playing consistently and had some niggles. That is why the management took the decision. A fast-bowlers body works differently than the batsmen. They have to apply more power. We wanted them to recover in time for the next series. We [Batsmen] were asked to play in the final because we already had three or four days of rest. The more chances we get the more the players will benefit,” Babar said.

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The Central Punjab captain highlighted the significance of the QeA tournament which he believed acted as the nursery for Test cricketers.

“The first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is a prestigious tournament for the country and has a great significance in our domestic cricket as it serves as a nursery for Test cricketers,” he said. “We are very happy to be in the final and look to stretch our match-winning form into this contest. I missed some domestic matches because of the national duty but it was heartening to see the progress that our side made over the course of the tournament.”

The return of Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali and premier middle-order batsman and Babar Azam bolster Central Punjab, while the comeback of Pakistan U19 captain Rohail Nazir and top-order batsman Haider Ali strengthen the Northern side. 

The contest not only provides an opportunity to both sides to get hold of the prestigious silverware but will also help them make history by being the first winners of the revamped tournament. The winner will also pocket a hefty PKR10m prize money. The runners-up will bag PKR5m.

The two sides have had an intriguing journey this season and were separated by three points on the table.  Central Punjab finished on top with 133 points, while Northern, with 130 points, ended the group-stage at number two.

Central Punjab have lost only one match this tournament, against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 211 runs at NBP Sports Complex, Karachi, in the ninth-round.

Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt, second and fourth on the highest run-getters charts, have been instrumental in ensuring their side’s success with the bat.

With the ball, their spin-duo of Zafar Gohar and Bilal Asif, second and third on the list of highest wicket-takers, have been the major tormentors. Left-arm orthodox Zafar has taken 38 wickets, while off-spinner Bilal has 32 scalps to his name.

Northern languished at the bottom of the points table for the first half of the tournament but traveling to Karachi in the sixth round brought a much-desired change in their fortunes.

Their captain Nauman Ali, the top wicket-taker in the tournament, has spearheaded his side’s epic turnover. His left-arm spin has garnered 52 wickets at an average of 22.85. He has recorded as many as five five-wicket hauls this season and has the best strike-rate (42.60) amongst the top ten wicket-takers.

Northern captain Nauman Ali expressed his excitement for the final while claiming that his side was ready to face the opposition.

 “We are geared up for the final. There won’t be any such pressure on us against Central Punjab in the final. We have been involved in high pressure matches throughout our journey so we are aware how we have to handle the tough situations,” he said. “Our team has a good blend of youth and experience which makes it a complete unit. I am hopeful that we will do well in the final.”