Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has brought back attention to the debate surrounding Azam Khan's fitness amid the wicketkeeper-batter's struggles in the current T20 World Cup. Azam has faced criticism for both his fitness levels and performance, failing to justify his inclusion in the tournament squad. Hafeez recently shared an intriguing story about Azam's fitness regimen during an interview on PTV Sports. He disclosed that during his tenure as Pakistan's Director of Cricket, Azam was given a specific six-week fitness program to follow.

"When Azam Khan joins a training programme, he's the same weight 6 weeks later that he started with. His fat levels are the same. The whole Pakistan team can cover two kilometers in 10 minutes, while Azam Khan will take 20 minutes to cover the distance," Hafeez said on PTV Sports.

Hafeez also questioned Azam's professionalism and dedication while representing Pakistan, suggesting that he has already been given ample time to improve his fitness.

"Being lean or oversize is never an issue for me, but you need to work according to the needs of the game. You need to bring your fitness to a required level. We gave him a fitness plan, but he [Azam] could not improve. You are in the team because of your talent, but you need to respond in case of fitness. You are the only one in the team on whom we have compromised on the grounds of fitness," he added.