Azam Khan is a Pakistani cricketer who was born on June 10, 1998, in Karachi, Pakistan. He is a wicket-keeper-batsman who made his debut for the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2019. Azam is known for his aggressive batting style and his ability to hit big sixes.
Azam was born into a family of cricketers. His father Moin Khan is
a former Pakistani cricketer who played as a wicket-keeper-batsman for Pakistan
in the 1990s. Azam grew up playing cricket and was trained by his father from a
young age. He started playing cricket in the local streets of Karachi before
eventually joining a cricket academy.
In 2017, Azam made his List A debut for Karachi Whites in the
Pakistan Cup. He scored 41 runs in his debut match and showed glimpses of his
potential. Azam was then selected for the Pakistan Under-19 team and he played
in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. He scored 230 runs in six matches at an average
of 46.00 and was one of the standout performers for Pakistan in the tournament.
Azam was then picked up by the Quetta Gladiators for the 2019
season of the PSL. He made his debut for the Gladiators in their first match of
the tournament and scored a quickfire 59 runs off just 33 balls. He hit five
sixes and four fours in his innings and announced himself on the big stage.
Azam finished the tournament with 150 runs in seven matches at an average of
25.00.
In 2020, Azam was signed by the Trinbago Knight Riders for the
Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He played in six matches for the Knight Riders
and scored 77 runs at an average of 19.25. Azam was then picked up by the
Karachi Kings for the 2021 season of the PSL. He played in nine matches for the
Kings and scored 166 runs at an average of 23.71.
Azam has been compared to his father Moin Khan because of his
wicket-keeping skills and his aggressive batting style. He is still a young
cricketer and has a lot of potential. Azam will be looking to make a name for
himself in the coming years and establish himself as a top-class cricketer.
Family Background
Azam Khan comes from a family with a strong cricketing background.
His father, Moin Khan, is a former Pakistani cricketer who played as a
wicket-keeper-batsman for Pakistan in the 1990s. Moin Khan is widely regarded
as one of the best wicket-keepers in Pakistan's cricket history and has also
served as the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team.
Azam's elder brother, Owais Khan, also played cricket at the
domestic level in Pakistan. Owais was a left-arm spinner who played for the
Karachi Zebras in the National T20 Cup.
Azam's family has been a great support for his cricketing career.
His father, who was a wicket-keeper himself, played a major role in training
and guiding Azam in his early years. Azam has often spoken about how his
father's guidance has helped him improve his game.
Apart from his immediate family, Azam also has some other relatives
who have played cricket at the domestic level in Pakistan. His uncle, Nadeem
Khan, was a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 2 Tests and 41 ODIs for
Pakistan. Nadeem was a right-arm off-spinner and also served as the chief
selector of the Pakistan cricket team.
Overall, Azam Khan comes from a family with a rich cricketing
legacy and has benefited from the guidance and support of his cricketing family
members.
Achievements
Azam Khan is a young cricketer who has shown a lot of promise and
potential in his career so far. Here are some of his achievements:
1. Under-19 World Cup: Azam Khan played for
the Pakistan Under-19 team in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. He was one of the
standout performers for Pakistan in the tournament, scoring 230 runs in six
matches at an average of 46.00.
2. PSL Debut: Azam made his debut for the
Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2019. He scored a
quickfire 59 runs off just 33 balls in his debut match and hit five sixes and
four fours in his innings.
3. PSL Performances: Azam has played in
three seasons of the PSL so far and has scored a total of 316 runs in 18
matches at an average of 22.57. He has also taken 10 catches as a wicket-keeper
in the tournament.
4. Caribbean Premier League: Azam played for
the Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2020 season of the Caribbean Premier League
(CPL). He scored 77 runs in six matches at an average of 19.25.
5. First-class Cricket: Azam has played 11
first-class matches so far and has scored 510 runs at an average of 25.50. He
has also taken 18 catches as a wicket-keeper in first-class cricket.
6. List A Cricket: Azam has played 14 List A
matches so far and has scored 307 runs at an average of 23.61. He has also
taken 12 catches as a wicket-keeper in List A cricket.
While Azam is still early in his career, he has shown a lot of
promise and potential as a wicket-keeper-batsman. He will be looking to build
on these achievements and establish himself as a top-class cricketer in the
coming years.
Azam Khan misses fastest PSL century record by Three Runs
In the HBL PSL on Friday 24 Feb,2023, Azam Khan almost made history by nearly
achieving the fastest century in the tournament's history. He missed the record
by just three runs against Quetta Gladiators. The 24-year-old batsman played a
stunning knock of 97 runs from 42 balls, hitting nine fours and eight sixes.
During the United's innings, Azam was on 97 runs, having faced 41
balls with just one ball remaining. Unfortunately, he was bowled by Odean Smith
while attempting a slog. Azam had joined the game with United reeling at 43-3,
but he finished his innings with an astonishing strike rate of 230.95.
Currently, the record for the fastest century in HBL PSL is held by
Rilee Rossouw, a top-order batsman for Multan Sultans. Interestingly, Rossouw
had also played his record-breaking inning against Gladiators in PSL 2020.
At the beginning of his innings, Azam had scored 25 off 20 balls
before hitting his first six. However, he then went on to score 72 runs in just
21 balls, maintaining a striking rate of 343.
Shahid Afridi, a former Pakistani cricketer, praised Azam's
incredible innings and referred to it as a "boom boom innings."
