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Babar Azam-led Pakistan clinched a dominant victory over Bangladesh in the Super-Four clash in the Asia Cup at the Faddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday, September 6. Now, Babar's army will take on India on September 10 in a high-octane drama. As the cricket world gears up for a blockbuster Asia Cup 2023 Super Fours showdown between the arch-rivals, Babar Azam has shared insights on his team's mindset. On Wednesday, Babar spoke candidly, highlighting that the team was not feeling any added pressure. The remarks came in the wake of a convincing 7-wicket triumph over Bangladesh on September 6 in Lahore, which has undoubtedly elevated the team's confidence.
The captain was quoted saying, "No, not really (pressure ahead of big game?) This win will give us confidence, we are always ready for a big match. We will give our 100 percent in the next match." Pakistan will be eager to maintain this momentum as they face their arch-rivals India on September 10 in Colombo.
It should be noted that Pakistan's initial Group A Asia Cup match against India in Pallekele was unfortunately abandoned due to inclement weather, leaving the teams and fans high and dry. Pakistan had been set a target of 267 runs but did not get the chance to chase it down. The two cricket giants will, therefore, be keen on putting up a thrilling performance in their upcoming match.
Optimizing their strategy, Pakistan has added an extra pace bowler, Faheem Ashraf, to their lineup. This change was influenced by lessons learned from their incomplete match against India, where their spinners failed to take advantage of a situation that left India at 66 for 3.
Babar praised his bowlers after the match against Bangladesh, specifically naming Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah for their exemplary performances. "Yeah, the credit goes to all the boys, especially to the fast bowlers, the way they bowled in the first 10 overs, and especially Rauf was really good. Faheem Ashraf bowled very well, I saw the grass on the pitch and thought of going with the extra seamer," he said. Despite the soaring temperatures in Lahore, Haris Rauf claimed four wickets, and Naseem Shah added three to his name, dismissing Bangladesh for just 193 runs.
In the batting department, Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan have also been instrumental. Imam-ul-Haq's splendid innings of 78 runs and Rizwan's unbeaten 63 proved critical in chasing down Bangladesh's target with ease.
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