The start of the eight edition of the Pakistan Super League brought with itself a fair share of controversy when the side's former fast bowler Mohammad Amir made a rather unusual statement on captain Babar Azam. Speaking ahead of his side Karachi Kings' first match against the Babar-led Peshawar Zalmi, Amir had said that bowling to the Pakistan skipper was the same as facing a tailender.
“These kinds of matchups and player rivalries keep players on their toes. I personally like these sort of challenges because it keeps me focused. My job is to take wickets and win matches for my team, so for me, facing Babar or a tailender batting at number 10 will be the same," Amir had said to ARY News.
Moreover, in the match, Amir had an indifferent outing with the ball as he registered figures of 0/42 in four overs, and frustrated with his bowling, Amir angrily threw the ball in the direction of Babar shortly after the right-handed batter flicked his delivery for a four. Amir's statement, along with his aggression on the field, drew criticism for the fast bowler from fans and former cricketers, and Babar Azam has now finally reacted to the same.
In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, Babar was asked about his battle with Amir during the PSL match. However, the Pakistan skipper stated that he doesn't focus on tussle with opposition players and concentrates on his own batting.
“On the field it's the game of bat and ball. And you always try to put your best foot forward. I try to only focus on my batting, not on other things that can divert my attention, because then, it affects me. The more I simple I keep it, the more it's good for me. I don't think I reacted in any way that time, I kept it quite simple. You can show aggression, mine comes through batting,” said Babar.