Shadab Khan Set For Return; 'Inconsistent' Babar Azam Toils Hard At Nets

08.11.2023 - 15:53 sports.ndtv.com

All-rounder Shadab Khan looked set for a comeback after recovering from a concussion, while skipper Babar Azam was focused on finally making a mark in the tournament as Pakistan on Wednesday had a full-fledged net session ahead of their must-win World Cup match against England in Kolkata.

Following two days' of unwinding in Kolkata, the Pakistani players had a three-hour long practice session in the afternoon focusing on all the three departments of the game.

Shadab started rolling his arm for the first time after their match against South Africa in which he was ruled out due to concussion.

The 25-year-old had an awkward fall while fielding and was hit on his head. He had to be replaced by rookie leg-spinner Usama Mir as a concussion substitute and then went on to miss their last two matches against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

cricket England Cricket Team Pakistan Cricket Team World Cup 2023 Babar Azam Shaheen Shah Afridi Haris Rauf Shadab Khan South Africa New Zealand Bangladesh Pakistan

The Cricket World Cup 2023 was a forgettable one for the Pakistan team and its skipper Babar Azam. Despite being one of the most respected batters in the game, Babar failed to leave his mark at the grandest stage, with the results even prompting a change in the Pakistan team's captaincy. Just as the cricket world was looking to move on from Babar and Pakistan's World Cup debacle, Iceland cricket trolled the star batter in epic fashion, while replying to a non-cricketing post on X (formerly Twitter).

Iceland Cricket Trolls Babar Azam's Batting Average. It Has 'Pandemic' Connection

Known for their humorous posts on social media, Iceland Cricket have taken a fresh aim at Pakistan star batter Babar Azam, who recently stepped down as captain of the team across formats. Babar relinquished his captaincy amid backlash over Pakistan's early exit from the Cricket World Cup 2023. Babar had a below par tournament with the bat as Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals. He scored 320 runs in the nine matches, averaging less than 40. Taking to social media platform X, Iceland Cricket trolled Babar over his average.

Watch: Babar Azam Chases Mohammad Rizwan With Bat In Hand After Pakistan Star Does This

A funny video of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan is going viral on social media. In the clip, Babar could be seen leaving his crease after a ball was delivered. Wicketkeeper Rizwan throws the ball on the stumps after collection and appeals for a run-out from the leg umpire. The follow-up sees Babar running funnily towards Rizwan in a bid to hit the wicketkeeper with his bat. As Rizwan runs behind the stumps to save himself, Babar chases the player, giving rise to a hilarious scene.

Watch: Babar Azam Tries To Hit Mohammad Rizwan With Bat In Funny Video

"Typical Of Pakistan": Australia Great's Blunt Take On Captaincy Change, Babar Azam

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has criticised the Pakistan cricket team over Babar Azam stepping down as the captain of the side following the Asian team's Cricket World Cup 2023 debacle. Babar stepped down from his role in mid November. Pakistan lost five out of their nine matches at the mega event and failed to qualify for the semifinals. Babar came under a lot of pressure from both experts and fans regarding his captaincy and his lack of form with the bat did not help the matter. Shan Masood was appointed Test captain while Shaheen Afridi took over as the T20I captain.

Watch: Babar Azam, Sarfaraz Ahmed Enjoy Qawwali Night For Teammate's Wedding

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Sarfaraz Ahmed attended the Qawwali night ahead of teammate Imam-ul-Haq's wedding in Lahore. Sarfaraz made the most of the occasions as he seen enjoying the music, with Babar and Usman Qadir sitting next to him. Babar had a smile on his face as Sarfaraz grooved to the tune of 'Mera piya ghar aaya'. Notably, Imam's nikah (wedding ceremony) will take place on Saturday, November 25, with the wedding reception set to be held a day later (Sunday, November 26).