In a disappointing turn of events for Pakistan, wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan's poor outing in the team's opening match against the United States has raised concerns ahead of their highly anticipated clash against arch-rivals India in the T20 World Cup. Pakistan suffered a shocking Super Over defeat against the USA, and Azam Khan's failure on the field has not gone unnoticed.

Azam Khan, son of former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, faced significant criticism on social media platforms for his dismal performance against the USA. The young player was dismissed on a first-ball duck, failing to contribute to the team's total. Adding to his woes, Azam did not keep the wickets in the match, with Mohammad Rizwan taking over the glovework, and he also spent a considerable period off the field.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram expressed his concerns about Azam Khan's performance during a chat with ABP News, stating that the player is not helping his cause. Akram questioned the team management's decisions regarding Azam's role in the team, particularly in the match against the USA.

"Babar needed a power hitter. Azam... he's my friend's son. He grew up in front of me, but he's not helping his cause," Akram said, emphasizing the need for a strong hitter in the middle order. The former skipper further expressed his confusion over Azam's role as a pinch-hitter against the USA, as he did not field for eight overs and could not bat alongside opener Fakhar Zaman due to his absence from the field.

Pakistan has been grappling with finding the right combination in their team ahead of the T20 World Cup. Both Azam Khan and Shadab Khan have struggled to assert themselves as the backbone of the middle order. As the team prepares to face India, head coach Gary Kirsten highlighted the importance of a team effort in securing victory against their rivals.

"While we need individual performances, playing games like this is a real team effort," Kirsten said. He emphasized that although the upcoming match against India is a high-stakes game, they would approach it like any other match and give it their best shot. Kirsten also stated that the team is motivated to put behind their recent defeat and focus on the challenges ahead.

As Pakistan fine-tunes their strategies and looks for improvements, all eyes will be on Azam Khan's performance in the crucial match against India. With the hopes of millions resting on this high-profile clash, Pakistan will be aiming to regroup and deliver a strong team performance in order to solidify their qualification chances for the Super 8s.

Updated with the latest cricket news, fans eagerly await the much-anticipated India-Pakistan encounter in the T20 World Cup, where the outcome of every player's performance will have a significant impact on the final result.