I’m trying to improve the match-finishing aspect of my batting: Babar Azam

Pakistan's recently-appointed captain Babar Azam has vowed to work on finishing matches from crunch situations. The star batsman stated in an interview that he is always trying to improve this aspect of his game.

“I agree that when a player is set, he should finish the match. I wasn’t able to finish the match against Zimbabwe despite scoring a hundred and I think we lost that match because of me. But I’m trying to improve this part of my batting, which was also evident in PSL. Hopefully, in the future, I won’t repeat the same mistake," said Babar Azam.

Babar Azam drew criticism from former players and fans alike when Pakistan fell short of victory in the team's 3rd ODI against Zimbabwe, despite scoring a scintillating ton. He responded to his critics with two masterful displays of in the PSL play-offs, which ultimately led the Karachi Kings to their maiden title.

The 26-year old is now headed to New Zealand for his first major assignment as the skipper of the Pakistan team. Speaking about the upcoming tour, Babar Azam stated that he is confident that Pakistan will do well in New Zealand and wants to use this opportunity to formulate a preliminary squad for next year's T20 World Cup.

“We are confident ahead of the series against New Zealand, and hopefully, we will put on a good show. We have a good record against New Zealand, both home and away. Our team is performing well and there is a good combination of senior and junior players. We want to utilise this opportunity and make a solid team for the upcoming [T20] World Cup," explained Babar Azam.

Shedding light on the burden of captaining the national side in all three formats of the game, Azam emphasized that the captaincy will not affect his batting. He also feels that the high expectations that the fans back home have of him bolster his confidence rather than create pressure.

“People have high expectations of me but I this does not put me under pressure as I use it to build confidence. Also, I don’t think the burden of the captaincy will affect my batting because I try to keep both things separate," Azam stated.

Pakistan's Test and T20I squads have touched down in New Zealand. The series between the two teams comprises of 3 T20Is and 2 Tests and will officially commence on December 18th.