“I could bowl a maiden over to Babar Azam,” Mohammad Asif mocks Pakistan skipper, says he CAN’T hit good deliveries 

Mohammad Asif further added that none of the Pakistani bowlers average.

“I could bowl a maiden over to Babar Azam,” Mohammad Asif mocks Pakistan skipper, says he CAN’T hit good deliveries 

Mohammed Asif said he could bowl a maiden over to Babar Azam (Images via ESPN)

40-year-old Mohammad Asif, while talking to Pakistani journalist Farid Khan, claimed that he could bowl a maiden over to Pakistan Captain, Babar Azam, in a T20. He further added that Babar Azam would struggle if a bowler bowls good deliveries to him.

Babar Azam has been under quite a lot of scrutiny recently due to his slow batting in T20s. Although he averages 41.49, his strike rate is 128.41. In matches Pakistan have won, he strikes at 132.35, but in games lost his strike rate is only 118.61. 

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Babar Azam is also very prolific in home games, where he averages 47.54, while striking at 141.26. But in away games, he only strikes 122.38. Many cricketers have criticized Babar for his slow batting, with many analysts and fans saying he is just “stat padding” to make his stats look better. “I can bowl a maiden over to Babar Azam in T20 cricket even today, he cannot hit the ball if you bowl good deliveries to him,” Asif told Farid Khan.

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Mohammad Asif calls all Pakistan bowlers “average”, says Shaheen Afridi should not play against small teams

Mohammad Asif told Farid Khan that he finds all Pakistani bowlers “average.” He further added that he thinks none of the bowlers in the Pakistan team are special. The Pakistan pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf have been regarded as one of the best in the world, but it seems the trio hasn’t impressed Asif. The spinners of Pakistan have been a concern of the team, with them struggling to pick wickets in the middle overs of an ODI.

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The pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf is regarded as one of the best in the World. (Images from ESPNcricinfo)

Asif further said Shaheen Shah should stop playing “small teams” like Nepal. He pointed out that he never played teams like Bangladesh and West Indies so he could rest to prolong his career. He also added that bowlers keep playing in leagues only for money. 

In his interview with Farid, he further added that he was offered a job in the National Cricket Academy, with a pay of 11 Lakhs Pakistani Rupees per month. Asif rejected the offer and asked for whatever they were paying the cricketing director, Micky Arthur. He then demanded 45 Lakhs PKR per month, stating he’ll earn the same amount in the United States. He further called Salman Agha a “waste of time“. Asif doesn’t consider him a player and said he can score the runs Salman scores.

Mohammad Asif was banned from cricket for 7 years in 2011 after being caught in a match-fixing scandal. He was also banned in 2006 for testing positive for Nadrolone. He also tested positive for illegal substances in the 2008 IPL.

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