In the world of modern cricket, fitness isnโt just an add-onโitโs a must. And former all-rounder Imad Wasim isnโt shying away from saying it like it is, especially when it comes to Pakistanโs talented but struggling wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan.
In a recent interview on a local sports show, Imad gave fans a peek into a heart-to-heart conversation he had with Azam. No drama, no headlinesโjust some old-school, brotherly advice laced with realism and concern.
โYou Donโt Need to Lose 40 Kilosโฆโ
Imad made it clear that Azam Khan doesn’t need to undergo a dramatic transformation. But a little commitment to fitness, especially trimming down just a bit, could make all the difference.
โIt was me and Azam, sitting and talking about cricket. He loved it. There were things that I advised him to sort out. You donโt need to lose 40 or 30 kgsโyou just need to lose a bit,โ Imad said, keeping it real.
Thatโs the kind of candid honesty youโd expect from a teammate who genuinely cares.
Talent Isnโt the ProblemโDiscipline Might Be
Thereโs no denying Azam Khanโs raw talent. Anyone whoโs followed his domestic and franchise cricket journey knows that he can turn games around. But as Imad rightly pointed out, one season of poor form shouldnโt define a player, and it definitely shouldnโt end a career.
โJust get his head right towards the gameโฆ Heโs a phenomenal talent, showing it all over the world. One season doesnโt make you a bad player.โ
Imad believes that with the T20 World Cup done and dusted, Azam now has 3-4 months of downtimeโa golden opportunity to hit the reset button.
A Wake-Up Call for Azam Khan
Azamโs recent numbers tell a painful story. In PSL 10, playing for Islamabad United, he managed just 66 runs in 7 matchesโan average of 11.00 with a strike rate of 101.53.
At the international level, it hasnโt been much brighter either. 14 T20Is, 88 runs, average of 8.80. His last international outing? That forgettable match against the USA in Dallas, where Pakistan suffered a shocking defeat in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Itโs been rough. But itโs also the kind of phase that builds characterโif a player is willing to learn and bounce back. And Imad seems to believe Azam is.
Can Azam Khan Turn It Around?
The message is loud and clear: Azam Khan has the talent, but now he needs the discipline. Fitness isnโt just about aestheticsโit affects reflexes, movement, and mental sharpness, especially for a wicketkeeper. And while losing weight might not be the only solution, committing to self-improvement is.
Imadโs advice wasnโt harshโit was human. A reminder that behind every underperforming stat is a player trying to find his way back. And if Azam can channel this low phase into motivation, Pakistan might just get back a better version of the explosive hitter they hoped for.
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