Inzamam-ul-Haq, the team director of Peshawar Zalmi on Friday, claimed that Babar Azam personally chose to demote himself in the batting order in their game against Islamabad United on May 02, 2025.
After they were supposed to pursue 144 runs, Zalmi devised an unexpected alteration in their starting pair: Saim Ayub arrived with Mitcell Owen. For Babar, at number three, the new opening duo failed but he scored winning runs for his team alongside 19-year-old Maaz Sadaqat.
Zalmi’s performance in the competition was a notable return. Speaking following Zalmi’s impressive victory over United at a post-match press conference, Inzamam clarified the captain’s tactical change.
Babar Azam is a top-notch athlete. He chose to bat third on his own initiative, Inzamam added. He said Mitchell Owen may provide extra firepower at the top, giving Zalmi a great start with aggressive hitting.
He also underlined how Babar’s concentration on team strategy reveals leadership and maturity. The 55-year-old also underlined the need of Babar raising his strike rate, which he thinks would help not just Zalmi but also the national squad of Pakistan.
“If Babar increases his strike rate, it will benefit Peshawar Zalmi as well as Pakistan,” he underlined.
The former captain of Pakistan also praised young hitter Maaz for his calm and forceful innings, which delighted all. When considering the team’s early tournament losses, he said that although the team did not start the season well, he hoped Zalmi will show up in a better form in the next games.
