Pakistan skipper Babar Azam would like to remain focused on his performance in the two-Test series against New Zealand starting on Monday amid a sudden reshuffle in the country’s cricket board. Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi has been appointed as the chairman of the board’s 14-member management committee. Earlier in the Test series at the hands of England, 3. After elimination from 0, the government had removed Rameez Raja and also canceled the constitution of PCB. Shahid Afridi has been made the interim chief selector.
Before the first Test, Babar said, “The situation has changed in the last two-three days. There have been changes but being a professional one should be able to face these things. Couldn’t play the way he wanted to play. We made small mistakes which cost us the defeat. To be honest, I don’t take pressure because doing so will affect the game.I believe that every day is new and every match is new and the team in front is also new. A slow wicket has been made for the first test, which does not have grass and the spinners of both the teams will speak on it. Afridi has included spinner Sajid Khan in the squad, who was not in the last two series.
Spinner Abrar Ahmed took 17 wickets against England. Like Pakistan, England also defeated New Zealand by 3. 0 after which Kane Williamson relinquished the captaincy of the Test team. Now Tim Southee will be the captain for the first time in this format. New Zealand have included leg-spinner Ish Sodhi in the squad after four years, while left-arm spinner Aijaz Patel has also been given a place in the squad.
