T20 World Cup 2024 kicked off in the United States on June 2, and Rohit Sharma-led Team India is looking in great shape in the tournament as they started their campaign with a strong win against Bangladesh in the warmup match. India’s first match is against Ireland on June 5, and the high-voltage India vs. Pakistan match is set to take place on June 9 in New York. Ahead of the big match, Pakistan captain Babar Azam spoke about the hype around India-Pakistan matches, and said it is crucial to keep our heads cool under pressure.
“We know the Pakistan-India fixture generates more discussion than any other match. There is a different vibe altogether for this fixture, and there’s a lot of excitement too, not just among players but also among the fans,” Babar Azam said in a PCB podcast.
“Wherever you go in the world, you’ll have people talking about the India-Pakistan match with everyone supporting their country. Every fan eagerly waits for this fixture and focuses on this one particular match,” he added.
Babar Azam mentioned that following the basics makes the pressure handling process easier, and trusting hard work and skills can help make things easy around such hyped games.
“Obviously, the expectations and the hype around this match cause some nervousness. It all comes down to how you handle it, and the more you focus on the basics, the easier it will be for you as a player.
“It’s a game of immense pressure, and if you keep your head cool, stay calm and trust your hard work and skills, things will be easier,” Babar added.
Most hurtful moment of 2022 T20 World Cup
Babar Azam spoke about the previous edition of the T20 World Cup and that nail-biting thriller against India, in which the Men in Blue won by one run. The Pakistan skipper also mentioned other aspects of the tournament that dashed their prospects.
“For me, in 2022, we could and should have won the India game, but they took it away. The most hurtful was the defeat against Zimbabwe. It hurts more because we had played good cricket against India, and people were praising our performance and fighting back,” he recalled about their one-run defeat in a last-ball thriller.
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Published: 02 Jun 2024, 03:13 PM IST