Babar Azam agrees Somerset return for five-week summer overseas stint

The Pakistan batsman will be available for 12 white-ball games and two County Championship fixtures after topping the T20 Blast runs table in 2019

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Babar Azam will rejoin Somerset for a brief spell this summer, covering both T20 Blast and County Championship cricket.

The batsman, who currently sits on top of the ICC's batting rankings for international T20 cricket, made 14 appearances for the county in 2019, averaging 52.54 in the Blast as he formed a formidable opening partnership with young wicketkeeper Tom Banton.

The county has now confirmed that Azam will return to Taunton before his Pakistan team kicks off its Test series with England on July 30, becoming their second overseas signing of the summer after the announcement that Australia's Matthew Wade will join the side for the first seven games of their Championship campaign.

Andy Hurry, Somerset's director of cricket, commented: "Babar Azam is the best T20 international batsman in the world and his return will be a major boost for us.

"He played a significant role for us in the T20 Blast last year and his stats speak for themselves.

"He made a number of match winning contributions and he fitted seamlessly into the dressing room. You can't ask more from your overseas players than that.

"His batting is so easy on the eye and he is so hungry to evolve his game. He will add significant value to the team, both with his batting and leadership."

Somerset has confirmed that Azam will join the squad in time for their T20 Blast opener against Gloucestershire on May 29, before remain with the side for 11 further group-stage matches in five weeks.

This stint is scheduled to conclude the day before Pakistan precedes its summer Test schedule with white-ball trips to Ireland and the Netherlands, which Azam is likely to feature in as he prepares to captain the side at October's T20 World Cup in Australia.

The batsman's stay will also include County Championship outings against Gloucestershire and Kent in Taunton and Canterbury respectively, where he will hope to add to the 40 he scored against Warwickshire in his sole red-ball appearance for the county so far.