Babar Azam says expectations and hype around the India vs Pakistan match can cause ‘nervousness’

India will take on Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 on 9th July. It is among the biggest rivalries in sporting history. “We know the India-Pakistan match generates more discussion than any other match,” said Pakistan skipper Babar Azam on PCB podcast.

“Wherever you go in the world, you’ll have people talking about the India-Pakistan match with everyone supporting their country. Every fan eagerly waits for the fixture and focuses on this one particular match,” Babar would observe. “The expectations and hype around the match cause some nervousness,” he added.

However, Babar did tell the solution on how to deal with pressure and nervousness.”It all comes down to how you handle it and the more you focus on basics, the easier it will be for you as a player,” Babar advised. “It’s a game of immense pressure and if you keep your cool, stay calm, and trust your hard work and skills things will be easier.”

Unpredictable India and Pakistan

India and Pakistan teams are placed in Group A. Both teams have performed indifferently in recent editions of the World Cup. India has choked routinely since Dhoni’s first Cup and will land in the Americas resembling the infamous squabbling Pakistan sides of yore. But the core of this team did play gorgeous cricket during last year’s 50-overs ICC event. With coach Rahul Dravid getting the opportunity to erase memories of 2007 in the Caribbean, non-favourites India will hope to land a Pakistanesque win despite the extra ego baggage they carry.

Pakistan on the other hand, have lost three semifinals and two finals. But in what can be a spectacular rebranding statistic in their favour, they can be called the most consistent of all T20 teams, making the last-4 six times in eight editions. The ‘unpredictable’ tag can fly out of the window because of this record. Faction-ridden and combustible, Pakistan remains a formidable T20 side on paper.

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