On March 8, during a PSL 2023 match between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators, former New Zealand bowler Simon Doull questioned Babar Azam’s slowing down methods en route to his hundred.
In the 25th match of the PSL 2023, played at the Pindi Club Stadium in Rawalpindi, Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat first. Batting at number one, Captain Babar smashed 115 runs off of 65 balls. Before being out, the batter hit 15 fours and 3 sixes (a strike rate of 176.92).
Doull, who was commentating as Babar went near his hundred, was not happy with the cricketer’s deceleration as he got close to three figures, despite the fact that Babar produced a wonderful knock.
What did Simon Doull say about Babar Azam?
Expressing his firm views on air, Doull said: “The last little while, that’s all that has been happening rather than looking for boundaries still, when you’ve got so much firepower to come. Hundreds are great, stats are brilliant, but it still must be team first.”
In 14 overs, Babar had scored 86 runs off 49 balls, but it took him just 60 balls to achieve 100. As Doull questioned the batter’s tactics and said that he was being selfish while he was on 99, he defended a delivery from Naseem Shah.
It was Babar’s maiden hundred in the PSL and his eighth in T20 cricket overall. As a result of his century, he became the fourth player in Australian cricket history (after David Warner, Aaron Finch, and Michael Klinger) to score eight T20 hundred.
Chris Gayle, a West Indian great, has 22 tons in the format, putting him ahead of Babar, Warner, Finch, and Klinger. Yet, despite their captain scoring a century, the Peshawar Zalmi lost their PSL 2023 match on Wednesday.
With Babar’s century, Peshawar Zalmi were able to score 240 runs in their allotted 20 overs. Quetta Gladiators lost two wickets while chasing the total of 165 in 18.2 overs, but opener Jason Roy scored a brilliant 145* off 63 balls.
Roy’s blistering innings, which included 20 fours and five sixes, came at a strike rate of 230.16 and stunned Peshawar Zalmi. In addition, veteran batsman Mohammad Hafeez contributed 41* off of 18 balls by hitting six fours and two sixes.
The Gladiators cruised to a historic victory thanks to an unbeaten 93-run third-wicket partnership between Roy and Hafeez.
