Babar draws inspiration from 2017 win ahead of Champions Trophy
What's the story
Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam finds inspiration in the team's iconic 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final win against India at The Oval. Despite not having a great record against India lately, this memorable win still inspires Babar. He recalled the final match in detail during an interview with the International Cricket Council (ICC). Additionally, he also stated that the team feels 'no pressure' ahead of their tournament opener against New Zealand. Here's what the Pakistan batter had to say.
Match recollection
Azam's memories of the 2017 final
Fondly recalling the memorable performances from the 2017 final, Babar mentioned "My primary memories of the 2017 final are Fakhar Zaman's innings (of 114), the spell of Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali's spell and our winning moment." He spoke about his experience as a young player in that match, saying, "Playing against India, that excitement and the nervousness were there." The win was a huge moment for him and Pakistan.
Team transformation
Azam on team's evolution since 2017 victory
Babar also acknowledged how much Pakistan's cricket team has changed since their 2017 Champions Trophy win. He said, "A lot has changed since that 2017 Champions Trophy. We have had new players coming in, while we only have three or four players who were part of that winning team. But the belief, confidence and faith in execution are the same." This statement highlights Babar's faith in his current team's capabilities to repeat the past.
Pressure management
Azam dismisses pressure ahead of Champions Trophy opener
Despite Pakistan's recent mediocre run in limited-overs cricket, Babar dismissed any notion of pressure. He said, "There's no pressure of anything." He further revealed stating, "What has happened in the past is beyond us. We have discussed mistakes we have made and we have worked on them. So we will try not to do what we have done in the past." This approach speaks volumes about Babar's leadership style and his focus on continuous improvement for his team.
Milestone
Babar Azam becomes joint-fastest to 6,000 ODI runs
Former Pakistan captain Azam reached a major career milestone, scoring his 6,000th ODI run in the tri-series final against New Zealand on February 14. Babar achieved the feat in his 123rd inning (126th match), becoming the joint-fastest player alongside former South African opener Hashim Amla to reach the landmark. Babar's feat is especially remarkable since he crossed the 6,000-run milestone quicker than Indian cricketing superstar Virat Kohli.