Former Pakistani captain Moin Khan has blasted legendary cricketer Ramiz Raja for the way he treated his son Azam Khan. In addition to dealing with body-shaming off the field, the wicketkeeper-batter has had uneven play that has made it difficult for him to stay in the squad. Azam made his T20I debut in July 2021. In 14 games, he has scored just 88 runs at an average of 8.80, with an undefeated 30 being his best total.

In his one game for Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Azam was dropped for the rest of the tournament after recording a duck. For his son’s expulsion, Moin Khan has harshly attacked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its previous head, Ramiz Raja.
“I watched every World Cup play in 2024, including the warm-up matches, and it felt that Azam was the best option for both batting and wicketkeeping. After only one game, the whole approach was abruptly altered.

After only one encounter, Azam was dumped after being out on the first ball and was not given another opportunity to hold wickets. How can we develop quality players if the management or captain makes such abrupt changes to the players?” He informed Cricket Pakistan.

The former star of Pakistan said that Azam had also been selected for the team for the 2022 World Cup, but Ramiz Raja had left him out. He said that in the event that the main selector had chosen the player incorrectly, they ought to have been removed, but the administration was afraid to take such action. Consequently, a young player’s confidence was destroyed, according to Moin.

“Azam was also included for the 2022 World Cup squad, but Ramiz Raja left him off. The 52-year-old said, “At that time, they should have fired the chief selector if he had chosen the wrong player, but they lacked the guts to do so, demoralizing a young player in the process.”

Khan said that Azam’s play and handling in the 2024 T20 World Cup were noteworthy. He accepted that Azam had room for growth on his own and that neither the captain nor the team management were totally to blame for the player’s predicament. Moin advised Azam to follow the workout regimens of other sportsmen and to fortify himself emotionally and physically. He said that Azam had been working hard lately to improve his physical condition.

It is evident in this World Cup as well how he was played. I’m not arguing that the captain and the team management are solely to blame; Azam is not without faults of his own. He has to strengthen both his body and mind, and he should emulate other athletes’ exercise regimens. I’ve seen that he’s been training hard to increase his fitness for the last month or so,” he said.