Babar Azam gives batting tips to 8-year-old fan in video chat

Pakistan's white-ball captain Babar Azam on Wednesday left his eight-year-old fan Samiya Afsar delighted when he gave her batting tips during a video chat organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Samiya, a resident of Lahore, rose to prominence early this year when a video of her practicing in the nets and playing conventional shots went viral. Her stylish play even prompted former Sri Lankan captain, Kumar Sangakakkara to comment that he can't get over the little player and her talent.

Babar Azam gives batting tips to 8-year-old

On Wednesday, Samiya, who is a big fan of Babar, got the chance to interact with him and she was quick to pick up some batting tips from the talented batsman. "Sometimes when I try to play defensive or attacking shots my backfoot gets tangled up and I lose balance," she told Babar. Babar, who spoke to her from Derbyshire where the Pakistan squad is preparing for their Test and T20 series in England, advised her to place her backfoot square and practice with a tennis ball to improve her balance.

The Pakistan captain told the left-handed Samiya he was very impressed with her technique and promised to meet her and give her a shirt and cap when he returns to Lahore. Before meeting Babar online, the little girl made a sketch of the batting superstar which she plans to gift him when the team returns. "I am Babar Azam's biggest fan and I want to be like him. Like a superhero he looks after our country and takes our team out of troubles. One day, I will also do for our women's team what he does for the men's," Samiya said. "Babar bhai gave me some invaluable batting tips which I will practice whenever I can get back to the nets."  Pakistan will take on England in a three-Test series beginning August 5. The Test series will be followed by three T20Is.

Image credits: AP