India vs Pakistan T20I World Cup 2024: Why Azam Khan is not Playing Today?

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In a surprising move, Azam Khan, Pakistan's wicketkeeper-batter, has been left out of today's highly anticipated match against India. This decision follows a string of underwhelming performances and growing criticism from fans and analysts alike.

Azam Khan's exclusion was apparent during a recent net session, where the 25-year-old was noticeably idle while his teammates prepared rigorously. Also read: Most Runs in T20 World Cup | Most Wickets | Most Sixes | Complete Points Table

According to sources from Geo News, this lack of involvement suggests a diminishing confidence from both Pakistan's captain Babar Azam and coach Gary Kirsten. This decision comes on the heels of Azam's disappointing outing against the United States, where he failed to score any runs.

Captain Babar Azam commented on the situation at the toss, stating, "We will bowl first because of the weather and moisture in the pitch. The conditions suit us, we have four fast bowlers. We will try to use it to our best.

"Past is past, we are looking forward to today's match, we are ready and will give our 100%. Always a big game, our confidence is always high for India vs Pak. Azam Khan is resting."

This succinctly highlighted the strategic considerations behind Azam Khan's benching, emphasizing the need to capitalize on favorable conditions with their fast bowling attack.

Azam Khan's performance has been a subject of scrutiny, particularly after his recent dismissal for a duck against the USA. This added pressure has been compounded by widespread criticism and social media trolling.

Imam Ul Haq, a fellow Pakistani cricketer, defended Azam, arguing that such negativity impacts players' performances. Despite this support, Azam appears to have taken drastic measures by either deleting or archiving all posts on his Instagram account, possibly in response to the backlash over his fitness and selection.

Since his international debut in July 2018, Azam Khan has struggled to establish himself in T20Is, accumulating only 88 runs in 13 innings. Despite his success in domestic T20 leagues, his physical fitness has frequently been called into question. The son of legendary wicketkeeper-batter Moin Khan, Azam has yet to fully step out of his father's shadow and make a significant impact on the international stage.