Pakistan wicketkeeper batsman Azam Khan is once again in the news due to a bizarre dismissal he was involved in during a Caribbean Premier League match between Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Antigua and Barbuda Royals.
Khan came out to bat in the number 5 spot for Amazon Warriors in a bid to help his team chase down a target of 169. The right handed batter was playing on a score of 9 when a delivery from West Indies pacer Shamar Springer proved too quick for him and hit him just under the helmet. In the aftermath of that delivery, Khan lost his balance and tried fervently to stop the ball from hitting the stumps, only to smash his bat directly on them and leading to the end of his innings.
What transpired after the dismissal was even more concerning, with the batter seen struggling on the field as he held his neck in considerably pain. Khan’s teammates immediately called for the physio and the 26 year old batter was taken off the ground for further treatment.
After the dismissal of Khan, Amazon Warriors looked in worse shape than before, struggling on a total of 77/4. However, some powerful death over batting from Romario Shepherd and Dwaine Pretorious ensured that the Warriors ended up on the winning side.
Netizens question Azam Khan’s fitness after bizarre dismissal:
One user while questioning Khan’s fitness wrote, “It was not even a rising delivery. Seriously lack of concentration and serious health issues. Better to leave cricket and start Gyming.”
Another user while questioning the batter’s cricketing acumen wrote, “Somebody better tell Azam Khan, he has better career prospects in being a Goalkeeper or a Wrestler.”
Yet another user wrote, “Azam Khan is just getting more unfit day by day…..”
Notably, this isn’t the first time that Khan’s fitness has come into question, with the batter often being trolled on social media for being unfit especially since T20 World Cup.