• Azhar Ali to start out coaching in pre-tour camp at Nationwide Stadium, Karachi from Wednesday.
• Cricketer prone to be an integral half of enjoying XI in Pak vs Aus ICC Test Championship. 
• Talks about Pak vs Aus fandom, greatest moments from 90s cricket and favorite cricketers.

Pakistan’s seasoned Test batter Azhar Ali will begin preparations to take part within the upcoming house collection towards Australia, within the pre-tour camp on the Nationwide Stadium, Karachi from Wednesday, 16 February, Pakistan Cricket Board stated Monday.

The Pat Cummins-led Australia shall be touring Pakistan in direction of the top of this month for the primary time in over 24 years for 3 Tests, three ODIs and one T20Is, and Azhar is anticipated to be an integral half of the enjoying XI within the ICC Test Championship, scheduled to start March 4.

An announcement issued by the PCB stated that the top-order batter has performed 11 out of his 91 Tests towards Australia and has a prolific file scoring 1000 runs in 22 innings at 50.

Azhar’s tally consists of three centuries and 5 half-centuries with his 205 not out on the Boxing Day Test on the Melbourne Cricket Floor in 2016, his greatest effort towards the staff from Down Underneath.

Azhar, like most gamers of his era, grew up watching cricket in Australia which required followers like him throughout Pakistan to get up early within the morning to catch stay motion.

The 36-year-old has fond reminiscences of Pakistan-Australia battles of the 90s (Tests and ODIs) each in Australia and Pakistan and keenly remembers the matches that formed the 90s.

“Australia and Pakistan all the time used to play powerful and aggressive matches. We actually used to benefit from the tri-series ODIs that used to start out early morning Pakistan time. It was once powerful to stand up however we had enjoyable watching these video games,” Azhar said in a conversation with the PCB.

Pakistan used to fight hard and even defended 150-run totals at times, he recalled.

The cricketer said that he always knew that Wasim Akram and Waqar Younus could trigger a collapse and win games that seemed lost.

Amongst the Australia players of the 90s, Azhar said he admired Steve Waugh, who he termed “an excellent fighter and a high quality participant”.

There was so much to learn from his batting, he said.

“I have some memories of the 1994 Karachi Test that Pakistan won by one-wicket through that amazing 10th wicket partnership between Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed. Though I don’t remember the entire match, I recall the ending fondly with Ian Healy’s missed stumping bringing Pakistan a thrilling victory.”

Azhar then talked in regards to the intense tempo battle between Pakistani quick bowler Shoaib Akhtar and his Australian peer Brett Lee within the late 90s.

“It was always fun to see who would bowl faster, it was a treat for the fans. I also remember the 1998 triple century by Mark Taylor, as a Pakistan fan it was a tough watch but from the perspective of a cricket fan it was a huge accomplishment from Taylor to score a triple century against a quality attack,” he stated.

Speaking in regards to the up to date cricketers, Azhar stated that he made his debut with Steve Smith, who additionally began enjoying as a bowler like Azhar.

“We both transformed into number three batters for our Test sides, so yes, in a way we do have similar back story,” he stated.

Azhar concluded by saying that he all the time enjoys speaking to Smith and share totally different concepts about batting and cricket since for a cricketer, the training course of by no means ends.