Babar Azam signs with Somerset for Vitality Blast T20 cup

KARACHI: Pakistan's flamboyant top order batsman Babar Azam has signed with English county Somerset for this years' Vitality Blast T20 cup.

According to a statement by the county, Babar will be available to the team for 14 group matches and a quarter final of the tournament, which kicks-off soon after the World Cup and continues until mid-September.

"Somerset County Cricket Club are delighted to be able to announce that the ICC's T20i number one ranked batsman Babar Azam will be joining the Club for this year's Vitality Blast, subject to the Club obtaining the appropriate visa/NOC clearance," the club said in a statement.

"Babar Azam will be available for all 14 Vitality Blast group matches plus the quarter-final. His availability for Finals Day would be dependent on his international commitments with Pakistan," it added.

The 24-year-old Pakistan batsman made his T20 debut against England in 2016. Since then, he has played 29 matches in the shortest format of international cricket, scoring over 1,180 runs at an average of 53.72 with a best of 97 not out and a strike rate of 127.78.

He is also currently the number one batsman in ICC T20i rankings ahead of New Zealand's Colin Munro and Australia's Glen Maxewll.

Babar said that he is looking forward to play for Somerset and aims to play a part in making the team successful in the tournament.

"I am looking forward to the new challenge that playing T20 cricket in England will bring. I have heard good things about Somerset from Azhar Ali and I want to play a part in the Club winning matches. I know that Somerset get good support and I hope that I can give them something to cheer about this year," the Pakistani batsman said.

Somerset Cricket Club's director of Cricket, Andy Hurry said that signing a player of the caliber of Babar Azam is tremendously exciting.