Karachi Kings’ vice-captain Hasan Ali has clarified his viral remarks regarding former captain Babar Azam, asserting that his comment "King will do it" was not intended to offend anyone, and if it did, he offers his apologies.
Addressing a post-match press conference following the Kings’ defeat to Lahore Qalandars in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL 10) at the National Stadium Karachi, Hassan reiterated his respect and support for Babar, terming him “our product”.
“Babar Azam is our product and we are behind him,” he said. “If I say that King will not run and he starts scoring, then I’ll say the same thing again. If my statement that ‘King will do it’ offends anyone, I apologise — but my stance remains the same. Babar is our best player, and he will make a comeback.”
Hasan’s remarks came in the backdrop of growing chatter around Karachi Kings' performances and comparisons between Babar Azam, who now leads Peshawar Zalmi, and his former franchise.
Earlier, Hasan had made headlines with his statement suggesting that "we made Babar the King, and we will bring him down". The comment drew mixed reactions on social media, prompting clarification from the pacer.
Speaking about the impact of public criticism on players, Hasan said constructive feedback is part of the game, but personal attacks and family-related jibes are crossing a line.
“If there is criticism for improvement, there’s nothing wrong with it,” he said. “But when it gets personal, no player remains unaffected. This happens quite often — even during matches, fans shout abuses from the stands. It happened with Khushdil in New Zealand too. Being a public figure comes with scrutiny, but we try to answer with our performance.”
Reflecting on his own ambitions, the 29-year-old fast bowler said he still aspires to make a comeback into the national side.
“I’m still young and I want to represent Pakistan again. My job is to perform, and if I do well, the opportunity will come,” he added.
Commenting on Karachi Kings’ recent loss to Lahore Qalandars, Hasan admitted that the team failed to build meaningful partnerships and played some poor shots under pressure.
“We made mistakes in batting. Some shots were not needed at that time, and partnerships didn’t develop,” he said. “We will address these issues in the team meeting. Hopefully, we will bounce back in the upcoming matches.”
