'He's being bodyshamed': Former Pakistan captain comes in defence of Azam Khan
Former Pakistan captain has come in defence of Azam Khan
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has slammed the toxic fans for targetting Azam Khan for his bulky physique and lack of fitness. The wicketkeeper-batter was brutally trolled after he gotout to a lethal bouncerfrom Mark Wood and later dropped a sitter to give reprieve to Will Jacks during the match against England.
"He is under immense pressure. He is being body shamed, is being trolled. Azam is an exceptional batsman in T20s," Latif was quoted as saying by newspaper The Indian Express.
"He is a clean hitter, plays spinners well, has worked on his game against the pacers. I feel bad for the kid, he is only 25. He doesn’t deserve to be trolled like this," he added.
Ahead of Pakistan's first match of the World Cup, a video went viral on social media, showing Babar having a go at Azam during one of the training sessions. A section of the internet believedthat Babar called Azam a 'Gainda' (slang for overweight people in subcontinent), while another section thought that it was some other innocuous Punjabi slang.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
'Written all these things'
Azam, who is the son of former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan, haspreviously revealed that abuse regarding his physiqueand connections have been a constant in his life.
“Parchi, aloo, mota, sifarshi, nepotism, gainda, baby elephant.. I have written all these things on a poster in my room, and every day before going to the training I look at them and it gives me the extra confidence to do well,” Azam had revealed on Tabish Hashmi’s show ‘Hasna Mana hai’.
Azam has been donning the wicketkeeping gloves despite captain Babar Azam having Mohammad Rizwan in the squad. In the last two World Cup editions, Rizwan has been the first pick for the men-in-green, however, the team management have preferred Azam for this year's marquee tournament.
Pakistan will square off against hosts USA in their opening match of the tournament in their pursuit ofthe first T20 World Cup title in 15 years. They were runners-up in the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup and the losing semifinalists in the 2021 edition in the UAE and Oman.
Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad:
Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
(With inputs from agencies)