ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Pakistan is up against England in the all-important final in Melbourne on Sunday. While it is the first ICC event final for Pakistan under Babar Azam, the skipper is not nervous but excited.
Former champion Pakistan's skipper Babar Azam is "more excited than nervous" as he is on the verge of simulating the legendary former Pakistani captain Imran Khan. Pakistan faces fellow former champion England in the title clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday.
"I'm more excited than nervous since we've performed well in our last three matches. It is no doubt that pressure exists, but it can only be suppressed with confidence and belief in ourselves. And, for good results, it is pertinent that one must do so," Azam said during the pre-match presser on Saturday.
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Azam didn't pause in acknowledging that the pace quartet of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammed Wasim and Haris Rauf have been the strength for his side. "England is a competitive team. Their win to reach the finals against India was proof of that. Our strategy is to stick to our plan and use our pace attack as our strength to win the final," he stated.
For Azam, matching the class of 1992 (ODI World Cup-winning team under Imran) will be a distinction. "Yes. We couldn't start well but came back with significant momentum. The Pakistani team played very well on individual and team levels in the previous three-four matches. We've been working hard for this. It feels like a dream come true to reach the final."
Azam and his opening mate Mohammed Rizwan would look to nab the endeavour in the opening six overs of the PowerPlay. "Utilising PowerPlay to grab as many wickets as possible will be essential for the match. Even when you bat, you want to set an excellent pace for the upcoming batters. We will try to maintain and continuously build our momentum, ensuring better performance," the skipper noted.
For Azam, it was the Almighty's choice that the team has gone into the final. "...but this never stops us from hard work. Providing an opportunity is indeed divine but making good use of it is when the ball is put in our court. I'm thankful for where I stand today, and I'll continue to work harder to achieve what lies ahead," he recognised.
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Azam also realised he was anxious when he didn't play substantial knocks in five group league contests. "Of course, tremendous pressure is built upon you when you are under a spell of not scoring well. But here, I'd like to commend the middle order. They stepped up and took the responsibility to achieve what Rizwan and I couldn't."
"Iftikhar, Shadab and Haris played extremely well. Although a youngster, Haris proved to be an asset in this event. Although I couldn't perform well, the rest of the team's performance kept me motivated," added Azam. He thanked Pakistanis across the world for supporting the group in difficult times. "Pakistan as a nation has always been our team's backbone. They uphold us through their enthusiasm. I would again request them to support us and keep praying," he concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)