KARACHI: Islamabad United’s Azam Khan coined his father Moin Khan an inspiration for backing him despite all the odds following his match-winning knock against Quetta Gladiators in the 13th fixture of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.
Azam stole the limelight with his astounding 97-run knock that fired the United to post a mammoth 220/6 against his former PSL franchise Gladiators.
The right-handed batter baton charged the Gladiators’ bowlers as he smashed them all over the park amid his magnificent knock that featured eight boundaries and nine gigantic sixes.
The young wicketkeeper batter has often been at the receiving end of criticism for his poor fitness despite his power-hitting abilities.
Meanwhile, following his match-winning knock, Azam praised his father Moin, the head coach of the Gladiators for backing him despite all the odds and making him mentally strong to face the criticism.
“When I met him [Moin] after the match, he praised my innings and asked me to continue performing,” Azam.
“My father is my biggest inspiration. He made me mentally so strong and always backed me to perform well despite all the odds. He already told me about the criticism and helped me fight against it. I hope I will keep on making him proud,” he added.
Azam then went on to highlight the importance of power-hitting and strike rate in T20s, stating that it is essential for a batter who plays down the order.
“Strike rate matters a lot in T20 cricket. It is my style of play and I really enjoy it,” said Azam.
“At the position where I bat, you get very limited time to set. In such a case, you have to be ready for hitting the ball hard,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention that Azam’s United closed in with table-toppers Multan Sultans following their back-to-back triumph in the ongoing extravaganza.
The two-time champions tightened their grip on the second spot with six points in four matches behind the Sultans, who lead the standings with eight points in five matches.
