T20 World Cup 2024: Babar urges calm approach ahead of Pakistan, India clash

Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, graced the 52nd edition of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast as a distinguished guest, shedding light on the upcoming showdown between arch-rivals Pakistan and India during the T20 World Cup 2024. 

Babar, emphasized the significance of the long-awaited clash, acknowledging its global importance and dedicated fan following. Babar conveyed his aspirations for the team to excel, advocating for a composed approach, grounded in belief in their abilities and diligent preparation.

“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 said.

The candid discussion delved into the team's preparations and aspirations for the impending tournament. Despite a recent setback with a 2-0 defeat against England, Babar exuded optimism, expressing his fervent desire for Pakistan to clinch the coveted trophy. However, he underscored the imperative for the team to consistently deliver top-tier performances in every match to realize this ambition.

“I am happy and excited because when you go to play in a major event, you have different excitement. It’s the aim of any cricketer to play in a World Cup, so that kind of feeling is coming over me. The hope is always to lift the trophy, but for that to happen, we have to play top cricket against every side,” he further added.

Furthermore, Babar acknowledged the unique challenge posed by playing in the USA for the first time, recognizing the need for thorough preparation and adaptation to unfamiliar conditions.

“Conditions in the USA may pose challenges as we are going there as a national side for the first time. We are in the process of collating various cricket and match-related information from players who have played there, which can help and assist us in our preparations," he said.

Looking back at previous encounters, Babar reminisced about missed opportunities against Australia and Zimbabwe in 2021 and 2022 respectively, identifying areas for improvement and learning from past mistakes. He particularly lamented the defeat against Zimbabwe, considering it a setback following commendable performances against formidable opponents.

“I think the semi-final we lost against Australia (2021); we could have won that. In that match, fielding was the reason that made a different impact. If we had bowled two or three dot balls in the final stages, then the pressure would have got to them. But we lost as a team and not due to an individual,” Babar said.

“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 fightback,” he concluded.