Nasser Hussain expresses desire to see Babar Azam in IPL

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has expressed his desire for Pakistan cricketers, including Babar Azam to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Owing to political tensions and the grave Indo-Pak relations diplomatically, Pakistan cricketers have not featured in the IPL since its inaugural edition in 2008.

Nasser Hussain emphasized the importance and the impact of the IPL and believes that cricketers from Pakistan should be allowed to take part, despite political tensions. The two countries last played a bilateral series in 2012 and have only faced-off in World Cup and Asia Cup clashes since then.

“I don’t want to get into the politics of it but India and Pakistan not playing each other is like the Premier League with Manchester City not playing Manchester United, or Everton-Liverpool or Spurs and Arsenal”, Nasser Hussain commented.

Nasser Hussain also hinted that Babar Azam was the number one T20I batsman in the world and was someone who could massively benefit from the IPL.

Babar Azam has a T20I average of over 50, and top scored in the Natwest T20 Blast in 2019 where he amassed 578 runs at an average of 52.5 while striking at nearly 150.

Babar Azam should be there in the IPL: Nasser Hussain

“It’s the Pakistani players not being in the IPL. The IPL will start soon and Babar Azam won’t be there. He’s a phenomenal player and he should be there,” Hussain was quoted as saying.

The former England skipper has praised Babar Azam on numerous occasions and deemed termed him as one of the premier batsmen across the globe, alongside the likes of Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli.

“They keep going on about the ‘Fab Four (Kohli, Australia’s Steve Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and England captain Joe Root) — it’s the ‘Fab Five’ and Babar Azam is in that”, Hussain claimed.

The IPL will take place in the UAE and is slated to begin from September 19th to November 8th with the whole edition set to be played in the United Arab Emirates.