- Mohammad Asif claims he discovered Babar Azam’s talent in just two balls during trials.
- Asif believes he can bowl a maiden over to Babar in T20 cricket even today.
- Azam Siddiqui shares an intriguing backstory of Babar’s encounter with Asif during a club match.
During a recent session on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif stirred up quite a buzz within the cricketing community with his revelations.
At the age of 40, Asif boldly claimed that he was the one who identified Babar Azam’s talent during trials. He also expressed his views on the 28-year-old’s performance during the powerplay in T20I cricket.
“I distinctly remember picking Babar Azam during the ZTBL trials after he faced just two balls. You can verify this with his father. I hold him in high regard; he’s undoubtedly one of the finest batsmen in the country. However, his tendency to accumulate dot balls during the powerplay puts pressure on Rizwan,” Asif stated during the X space.
Asif further added, “Even today, I am confident that I can bowl a maiden over to Babar Azam in T20 cricket. He struggles against well-pitched deliveries.”
In response to Asif’s claims, Babar Azam’s father, Azam Siddiqui, shared an intriguing anecdote from his son’s early cricketing days on his Instagram account.
Siddiqui recalled a match when a 16-year-old Babar faced Mohammad Asif in a club game. At that time, Asif was striving for a comeback after his involvement in a match-fixing scandal. Despite Babar’s impressive 84-run innings, Asif managed to dismiss him. Babar expressed his frustration, citing Asif’s use of offensive language. Nevertheless, his father consoled him by highlighting the 11 boundaries that Babar had struck against Asif.
Following this match, Babar attended trials for the ZTBL bank team at the National Academy. As he prepared for the trial, still wearing his cricket gear, Asif approached him in a friendly manner and asked,
“Oye Chhotu, Kidhar [Hey, where are you headed?].” Babar replied, “Asif bhai, I’m here for a trial with the bank team.”
In response, Mohammad Asif promptly approached the bank’s management with a determined attitude and advocated for Babar. He questioned, “Why are you hesitating about him? He scored 11 boundaries against me.” He passionately advised, “Take note of his name and seriously consider adding him to the bank team; he’ll undoubtedly be a valuable asset.”
Azam Siddiqui concluded his post with a reflective statement: “Dear Mohammad Asif, every individual is accountable for their own actions. If the opportunity arises, Babar is willing to face your maiden over to show his respect for you.”
Furthermore, Azam Siddiqui urged the public not to make any derogatory comments about Asif in relation to Babar Azam.
Also, see;
Gautam Gambhir picks Babar Azam over Virat Kohli
