Babar Azam ahead of 1st T20I vs New Zealand: Pakistan first, bond with Shaheen Afridi not recent

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Babar Azam, who will be making his comeback as Pakistan captain in the 1st T20I against New Zealand on Thursday (April 18), has quashed rumours of his rift with Shaheen Afridi, saying that his relation with the left-arm pacer is old and strong. Notably, Shaheen was replaced to rename Babar as the Pakistan team captain.

He added that the aim of the entire team was to collectively bring glory for Pakistan, and not think just about personal glories. The T20I series against New Zealand, kick starts Pakistan's dress-rehearsal for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.

"I want to make clear that Shaheen [Afridi] and my bond is not recent, it goes back a long way. We support each other in every situation. Our aim is to put Pakistan first, and how to put Pakistan's name up in lights. We don't think of individual glory, and thankfully, those elements are not present in my team," Babar Azam said ahead of the first T20I.

Babar Azam also reckoned that Pakistan would look to try out different combinations and test the bench strength during the 5-match series. "Our line-up is flexible. We're trying to give opportunities to our young players and bench strength. You'll see different combinations in this series and check what works for us. You'll see that in the bowling as well as batting, and in every spot. By the time we get to the Ireland and England series, we'll have a clearer picture," Babar said.

Babar Azam also stated that the club had a nice balance of youth and experience, and he was pleased to see new faces in the squad. "I am very happy when I see a new player getting selected for the Pakistan Cricket Team on the basis of domestic performance. So all the youngsters that come, we try to keep them in our wings. Because in international, whenever you come, you struggle a little. You need a little backing. It helps to have a senior player who can give you a little backing. And we always support all the senior players. We support them in everything," said the Pakistan captain.

Pakistan squad vs New Zealand: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan and Zaman Khan.

New Zealand squad vs Pakistan: Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Jimmy Neesham, Will O'Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi and Zak Foulkes.