Babar Azam says return to basics helped him deliver in PSL qualifier

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam said his match-winning century against Islamabad United was especially significant because it came in what he described as a knockout-type contest for his side.

Speaking after Zalmi’s 70-run win in the HBL Pakistan Super League Qualifier at the National Bank Stadium on Tuesday night, Babar said the occasion made the innings stand out. “I can definitely say it is quite different in the sense that it was a semi-final of sorts for us,” he said. “That’s why it’s very special for me. Performing in such a big match, the team needed me to stay out there as long as possible, and I think that’s exactly what was required.”

The hundred was Babar’s fourth in PSL history and helped send Peshawar Zalmi into their first final in five years. The innings also took him to the top of the tournament’s batting charts this season. With 588 runs, he has equalled Fakhar Zaman’s record for the most runs in a single PSL campaign, with one match still remaining.

Babar said the period leading into the tournament had been a difficult one for him, and that he had learned from it. “Time teaches you everything,” he said. “With time and experience, you keep learning. These things are part of life. I’ve learned a lot from this phase and it has also helped me a lot. When you fall and come back stronger, it feels really good.”

He said the change in his batting was not dramatic, but rooted in greater discipline and concentration. “There is no big difference,” he explained. “The only thing is that I have become more disciplined and more focused. Sometimes in a short period you feel that what you are doing is right, but actually it isn’t. So sometimes you have to accept that you need to go back to normal. back to the basics.”

Babar said that realisation came through his own review of his game rather than from others. “No one else makes you realise it. You realise it yourself,” he said. “You analyse yourself. You watch your videos or your old innings. That’s how I prepare myself. I take motivation from that. But my belief is that your routines matter the most.”

He added that discussions around his batting had taken place and said coaches had also played an important role in his improvement. “There were quite a few discussions,” Babar added. “I also realised things myself. I looked at my batting, analysed what I was doing and what was going wrong, and worked on fixing it. The coaches helped a lot, and I also worked hard myself. These things go together.”

According to the figures cited in the post-match report, Babar’s strike rate this season is above 146. He said the difference now lay in better execution and a clearer understanding of what was needed in different situations. “As for hitting, my hitting was like this before as well,” he noted. “The difference is that now the execution is better. I’m trying to understand what I can achieve or target in the given scenario. I’m practising hard hitting a bit more.”

Babar did not go into detail about the criticism that had surrounded him during his lean spell. “During that phase, a lot of things were going on, but I don’t want to discuss that here,” he said. “Everyone has their own thoughts and their own mind. As for my mind, I try to keep it as cool as possible, focus on cricket, and try to win matches.”

His century against Islamabad United not only powered Zalmi into the final, but also came as a timely response in a high-pressure game, with Babar making clear that his emphasis remains on preparation and performance rather than outside discussion.