Captain Babar Azam emphasized tireless determination and confidence as Pakistan prepares for its initial World Cup encounter.
The mega-event begins today in India, with England taking on New Zealand in the opening match.
Pakistan will play the Netherlands in Hyderabad on October 6th (Friday). The highly anticipated match against archrival India will take place on October 14th in Ahmedabad.
Azam described the “unexpected” kind reception they received upon arrival in India in a video published on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) social media channel.
.@babarazam258's Pakistan eyes history in India as they kick off their World Cup journey tomorrow 🏆
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 5, 2023
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/7DglBl9zez#CWC23 | #DattKePakistani | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/NewL6zs7kh
Despite this, he admitted that the presence of Pakistani supporters would have bolstered their spirits even more.
Azam highlighted the team’s thorough preparations for their first match. The national team spent a week in Hyderabad practicing batting and bowling combinations.
“Our core strength is our fast bowlers,” Azam emphasized. Since their arrival in India, their spinners have also performed admirably in the middle overs, consistently grabbing key wickets. This is a positive sign for the team’s prospects.
Babar Azam praised the middle and lower-middle order players for rising up to perform their roles, a promising sign for the team’s balance.
Azam was pleased with the pitch quality in the host country, calling it “excellent.” He predicted that the matches would be high-scoring affairs, with the boundary distances appearing to be standard.
Azam also provided insights on Pakistan’s bowling strategy, highlighting the significance of bowlers adopting variations and bowling “wicket to wicket.”
