Colombo: Former Pakistan captain and star batsman Babar Azam spoke ahead of the much-anticipated blockbuster clash against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking to an international sports platform, Assam reflected on the unparalleled intensity and global attention the Pakistan-India encounter has received.
He emphasized the pressure these tournaments bring—not only from the fans but also from the responsibility of representing the nation on a big stage.
“As you said, a Pakistan-India match is always more intense. The whole world and the fans are involved. Even though many people are watching, it is played at a different level and expectations naturally rise,” Babar said.
Drawing from his own experience, the 31-year-old stressed the importance of maintaining composure and managing expectations.
He highlighted how staying calm and not being distracted by outside opinions can make a significant difference.
“I’ve played in many tournaments and we’ve learned that it’s better if we’re calm, relaxed and don’t listen to people. Young people often get excited and talk about it, but if you’re easygoing and not nervous, it’s always in your favor,” he added.
It is noteworthy that both the teams are unbeaten in the group stage so far. Pakistan has registered wins against Netherlands and USA while India has beaten USA and Namibia.
Historically, India and Pakistan have met 16 times in T20 Internationals, of which India have won 13 and Pakistan 3.
In T20 World Cup matches, the two teams have met eight times, with India leading 6-1, with one match ending in a draw.
groups
India: Suryakumar Yadav (catch), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dubey, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakraborty, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Ringu Singh.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (catch), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faqar Zaman, Khawaja Nafe, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shatab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Khan.
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