Azam Khan's career in international cricket has been anything but smooth since his debut for Pakistan in July 2021. The talented batter, despite showing glimpses of promise, has struggled to make a lasting impact at the highest level. His forgettable stint in the 2024 T20 World Cup only deepened the concerns surrounding his form; in the only match he played, Azam failed to score, getting dismissed for a duck, and was subsequently dropped from the side.

Following this disappointing performance is an ongoing poor run in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), where he has failed to reach double figures in any of his three matches so far.

The mounting criticism has not only been about Azam's lack of runs but also about his fitness levels, which have been a consistent point of contention. Despite being touted as a promising talent with explosive hitting ability, his inability to convert potential into performance has left fans and selectors frustrated.

However, Azam's father Moin Khan, a former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter, has now openly blamed the former PCB chairman, Ramiz Raja, for his son’s curtailed development, particularly citing his controversial omission ahead of the 2021 T20 World Cup.

“In the 2022 (2021) World Cup, Azam was also selected for the team, but Ramiz Raja dropped him. At that time, if the chief selector had made a wrong selection, he should have been removed, but they didn't have the courage, and as a result, they demoralized a young player. In this World Cup as well, you can see how he was played,” Moin told Cricket Pakistan.

Moin was also critical of the decision to remove Azam from the team after just one match; the young wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed for a duck against USA, where Pakistan faced a shocking defeat.

“I watched the entire World Cup and the matches leading up to it, and it seemed like Azam was the number one choice for wicketkeeping and batting. Then suddenly, after just one match, the entire strategy was changed. Azam wasn't given a chance to keep wickets after one match and was dropped after getting out on the very first ball,” said Moin.

Azam has “shortcomings” too

Moin, however, also insisted that Azam has to make himself “physically and mentally” stronger to continue competing at the highest level.

“I'm not saying that all the blame lies with the team management and the captain; Azam has his own shortcomings too. He needs to make himself physically and mentally stronger, follow the fitness routines of other sportsmen. For the past month or so, I’ve noticed he’s been working hard to improve his fitness with his trainer Shehzar Mohammad, even taking him along to the Caribbean League,” said Moin.

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