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KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam reflected on his batting approach after scoring a brilliant century against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday night.
Babar scored an unbeaten century from 52 balls, propelling his side to a record total of 255-3 in 20 overs.
Speaking in the post-match presentation, Babar described his 12th T20 century as a memorable moment, adding that it came with a tense finish.
“Reaching a milestone like this is an incredible feeling, but it was a bit of a roller coaster at the end. When I put in that dive, I genuinely thought I had fallen short of the crease. It wasn’t until my partner told me I’d made it that the emotions really hit me,” he said.
Babar was involved in a 135-run partnership with Kusal Mendis, who made 83 from 43 balls. The right-hander revealed the key behind the successful stand, noting that both batters continuously assessed conditions to set a competitive total.
“Out in the middle, constant communication is key. Mendis and I were continuously assessing the conditions to gauge what a competitive score would be on this specific track,” Babar revealed.
“In the early stages of our partnership, he was hitting the ball so cleanly that my primary focus was simply getting him on strike. Once he departed, I knew I had to shift gears, step up, and take on that scoring responsibility to maintain the momentum he had built,” he continued.
The 31-year-old credited bowlers for showing determination and praised the players warming the bench.
“A huge amount of credit must go to our young bowlers for how they’ve stepped up. I also want to acknowledge the players on the sidelines; even those not currently in the XI due to team combinations have been working incredibly hard and pushing the group forward.”
He further noted that the team made full use of an eight-day break to prepare specific plans, which were executed effectively under pressure.
“We utilized our eight-day break to prepare meticulously, and it’s very rewarding to see the players execute those specific plans so well under pressure,” the skipper maintained.
“As for the remaining games, we’ll take some time to assess where we stand. We want to maintain our winning rhythm, but we will certainly look at whether there’s an opportunity to test our bench strength and give others a chance to contribute before the tournament progresses further,” he concluded.
READ: PSL 11: Babar Azam breaks multiple records against Quetta Gladiators
