All ten captains competing in the ICC World Cup 2023 gathered for a special “Captains’ Day” function in Ahmedabad on a sunny Wednesday, October 4. Ravi Shastri and Eoin Morgan, the captain who guided his team to victory in the 2019 World Cup, served as the event’s hosts. They asked the captains a number of questions during this gathering and one of them was Babar Azam.
During one of the questions set aside for Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, Shastri inquired about Babar’s initial visit to India and the warm reception from the fans.
Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, has been so warmly welcomed in India that he’s almost forgotten his team is playing away from home. It’s worth mentioning that Pakistan touched down in Hyderabad on September 28 for their two practice matches against New Zealand and Australia.
“It was very good. We got great hospitality, we were not expecting this. Everyone enjoyed it, it’s been a week in Hyderabad. It doesn’t feel like we’re in India but it feels like we’re at home. We enjoyed every bit of it. It’s a golden opportunity for everyone to give their 100 percent and enjoy the tournament,” said Babar at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Captain’s Round Table.
Babar Azam, currently ranked as the world’s best ODI batter, is prepared to enter the World Cup with high hopes of guiding his team through a brilliant exhibition of his batting prowess. In the previous season, he emerged as Pakistan’s leading run-scorer, accumulating an amazing 474 runs from eight innings, sporting an exceptional average of 67.71. Notably, he also achieved a century and three half-centuries during that campaign, setting a record for the most runs scored by a Pakistan batsman in a single World Cup edition.
As we approach the competition, Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, appears to be in fantastic shape, as proven by his stellar performances in the two warm-up matches, when he scored 80 runs from 84 balls and 90 runs from 59 balls. With his continuous form and leadership, Babar Azam is motivated to continue his impressive run and take his team to a historic victory, seeking to secure their second-ever ODI World Cup triumph on Indian soil.
On the flip side, Pakistan faced a challenging beginning to their tournament, suffering defeats in both their warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Their journey continues with a crucial showdown against the Netherlands on Friday, October 06, at the same venue. Subsequently, they’ll be squaring off against Sri Lanka on October 10, followed by a highly anticipated clash against their arch-rivals, India, on October 14.
