Srinagar: Pakistan star batter Babar Azam has said that two Peshawar Zalmi youngsters have impressed him and they can get Pakistan call in future.
During an appearance on Zalmi TV’s podcast, Babar was asked to name players he believes have the potential to represent Pakistan at the international level. Without hesitation, he named batter Abdul Samad and fast bowler Ali Raza.
“They are our young blood—emerging players with a lot of potential. Abdul Samad is relatively new and needs to further improve himself for the challenges of international cricket. You have to be ready for that level,” Babar said.
“He [Ali Raza] is a special talent and capable of playing at the international level. But he needs time, and with gradual development, he will be ready for international cricket,” he said.
Abdul Samad made his T20I debut for Pakistan during the five-match series against New Zealand in April.
However, the 27-year-old struggled to make a significant impact, scoring just 66 runs in five matches, with a top score of 44.
He finished the series with an average of 16.50 and a strike rate of 113.79.
In his debut Pakistan Super League (PSL) season for Zalmi, Samad has so far played four matches, scoring 44 runs at strike rate of 200.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Ali Raza has turned heads with his impressive performances in PSL 10. The young pacer has taken nine wickets in seven matches at an average of 24.11 and an economy rate of 8.03.
