India and Pakistan are set to face each other in the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2024. Drawn into Group A in the tournament, India and Pakistan will play each other on June 9 in New York. Ahead of the marquee clash, Pakistan captain Babar Azam has admitted to having nerves. Speaking on the PCB podcast, Babar said that IND vs PAK was going to be the most talked about match in the tournament.
India last faced Pakistan in World Cup 2023 where Rohit Sharma’s men thrashed Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India will once again have an upper-hand on Pakistan having taken a solid, well-balanced team in the T20 World Cup.
“An India-Pakistan match is always the most talked about; it is discussed too much wherever you go in the world. The players get different vibes and excitement. What will happen is that everyone supports their country, so the focus is on that match,” Babar Azam said.
The Pakistan captain spoke about trusting their abilities and keeping focus in the game. In the last edition of the tournament, Pakistan dominated India for the majority of the match, but then Virat Kohli played a superb innings to dig India out of trouble.
“The whole world is focused on the day when the India-Pakistan match is held. Naturally, there will be nerves, but we need to keep our focus, stick to the basics and play easy cricket. It is always a pressure game; the more you keep cool and calm, believe in your skills and hard work, then things get easier,” Babar Azam said about being nervous.
Pakistan have been in the doldrums in recent times, losing a T20I to Ireland and then losing a T20I series vs England. Babar spoke about his role as a captain and said that he cannot afford to be emotional as the leader of the team.
“I understand the responsibilities of a captain as there are additional expectations. You have players and the management, and you have to maintain communication with them. You have to control your emotions and back your players because you have to get the best performance out of them. You always have to support them and give them the confidence that they are the best and can do better,” concluded Babar Azam.
