Kane Williamson Names Babar Azam His Favorite Pakistani Cricketer
Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has revealed that Babar Azam is his favorite Pakistani cricketer. In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Williamson shared his admiration, saying, “I’ve only been in Pakistan for a few days, but over the years, I have had the experience of playing against the Pakistan team many times. I have always enjoyed watching Babar Azam bat. He is a magnificent batter and plays beautiful cricket that is truly enjoyable to watch. That’s why he has always been my favorite.”
Speaking about Pakistan’s cricketing strengths, Williamson highlighted the country’s consistent production of fast bowlers, adding, “There have always been a lot of dangerous pacers from Pakistan, and even today there are many. Shaheen Afridi, especially with the new ball, has been outstanding.”
When asked about New Zealand’s heartbreaks in ICC finals, Williamson said, “I can’t say much about the results with certainty, but there were matches where we were in great positions and succeeded. At other times, we reached the finals but couldn’t win. It’s part of the journey.”
Discussing the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, he mentioned, “It was a great tournament, and we aimed to win it, but unfortunately, we couldn’t. Now, it’s about moving forward with the next goal — the PSL.”
On his commentary stint during the IPL, Williamson called it a refreshing experience at this stage of his career. “While still playing cricket, it felt nice to try something different. Staying connected to the game through commentary was an enjoyable experience.”
Responding to a question about criticism of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s strike rates, Williamson said, “In PSL 10, there were games where teams scored close to 230, while others saw totals around 130 or 140. You have to adapt to the conditions accordingly.”
Finally, regarding his ambitions with Karachi Kings in the PSL, Williamson said, “Our goal is to reach the final. I’ve heard a lot about PSL from friends like Luke Ronchi. Due to prior commitments and fitness recovery, it took some time to join, but now the focus is on performing well and aiming for the finals.”
