Babar Azam can set World Cup 2023 on fire: Gautam Gambhir

Former batter Gautam Gambhir reckoned that Babar Azam has the potential to finish as the standout batter in the World Cup 2023. The right-handed Babar scored 151 runs against Nepal in the opening match of the Asia Cup in Multan, but failed to perform in the matches thereafter.

However, Gambhir, who played a crucial role for India in the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 World Cup triumphs, said that Babar can outclass the likes of Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli and Joe Root.

“Babar Azam can set this World Cup on fire. I have seen a lot of players with so much time to bat. I think that Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Joe Root are there, but Babar Azam has a different level of capability,” Gambhir was quoted as saying to Star Sports.

Babar is currently the top-ranked batter



in ODIs, having notched 5409 runs from 108 matches at an average of 58.16 and a strike-rate of 89.12 with 19 hundreds and 28 half-centuries.

This year, the Lahore-born batter has scored 745 runs from 15 innings at an average of 49.67 with two centuries and six fifties.

Pakistan’s opening match in the World Cup is against Scott Edwards’ Netherlands on October 6 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.

Pakistan squad for World Cup 2023

Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir

Travelling reserves: Abrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Haris