Amir Speaks up about his Rivalry with Babar Azam:
Pakistani speedster Mohammad Amir issued an intriguing statement when asked about his interesting encounter with superstar Babar Azam. Amir has always been aggressive when it comes to bowling. Quite fair actually because then again that’s the thing about fast bowlers but it gets intense when the batter is none other than skipper, Babar Azam. The rivalry, in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL), became more intense when the pacer reacted with anger after Babar hit him for a boundary. Amir also made an ironic statement about Babar saying that bowling to the skipper is the same as bowling to a tail-ender.
“These kinds of matchups and player rivalries, keep players on their toes. I personally like these sorts of challenges because it keeps me focused. My job is to take wickets and win matches for my team, so for me, facing Babar or a tail-ender batting at number 10 will be the same.”
However, Amir’s game statistics of 0/42 in four overs during the second match of the season (dated: 14 February), revealed that he had a lackluster performance with the ball. When Babar smashed Amir’s ball for a boundary, the pacer responded by throwing the ball aggressively in Babar’s direction. This drew criticism from both fans and former cricketers. In no time, Amir responded and clarified himself. He told that such a type of rivalry is necessary to make the game interesting. It creates a competitive environment that engages fans.
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In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, he said, “This [healthy rivalry] is necessary. You want to give your best against the best batter in the world and aggression is needed by the bowler. Batter versus Bowler rivalry in franchise cricket keeps fans engaged with the tournament.”
Pretty convincing statements from the fast bowler that he is only concerned about winning matches, and grabbing wickets while playing his part for the team. Note that, Amir’s team Karachi Kings got out of the PSL. Currently, he is playing for Asia Lions in the Legends League Cricket in Qatar.
