Mohammad Amir downplayed all the hype surrounding his duel with Pakistan captain Babar Azam ahead of the Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi showdown in Pakistan Super League 2023 on Tuesday, February 14. The two teams will compete in the second game of the tournament and Amir, in a shocking statement, likened the premier batter to a tailender. Speaking in an interview with ARY News, he said, “These kinds of matchups and player rivalries keep players on their toes. I personally like these sort of challenges because it keeps me focused. My job is to take wickets and win matches for my team, so for me, facing Babar or a tailender batting at number 10 will be the same.” Floodlight Catches Fire During PSL 2023 Opening Ceremony, Multan Sultans vs Lahore Qalandars Match Delayed (Watch Video).

Mohammed Amir on Facing Babar Azam

It has to be noted that Babar Azam is a former Karachi Kings player and he has been teammates with Amir at the franchise. Karachi Kings had a disastrous PSL 2022 where they finished at the bottom of the points table, securing just one win in 10 matches. Azam was traded to Peshawar Zalmi by Karachi Kings,who got Shoaib Malik and Haider Ali. The Pakistan captain will lead the Peshawar franchise in the tournament after replacing Wahab Riaz as the skipper. Reacting to Mohammad Amir’s statement, he said, “Competition is always good for the league. Not only Karachi, but every team has good quality local bowlers. That is why all foreigners play this league because it is a quality league," adding, "When I play against any quality bowler, I stick to my basics." PSL 2023 Points Table Updated.

The Pakistan Super League 2023 got underway a day ago with a clash between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans. Qalandars won the contest by just one run to secure a winning start to their title defense.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 14, 2023 04:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).