by Babar Azam was an early and promising 22 -year -old when he helped Pakistan win the Male Champions of the ICC in 2017.
Almost eight years later, he became one of the best strikers in the world in all formats and aims to help his country repeat the feat.
The 2017 competition helped Babar are loosening on the international scene. A 46 generally occupying 52 bullets in the final against India helped Pakistan on their way to a 180 -point victory at the oval which remains engraved in the national Cricket conscience.
But the elegant right -hander refuses to live in the past and wants to make more memories in front of the Pakistani public adored in the coming weeks.
“I am very excited,” he said. “We are going to organize an ICC tournament in Pakistan after a very long time. As a player, I am very excited and all the fans are excited.
“My main memories of the 2017 final are the sleeves of Fakhar Zaman (114), the fate of Mohammad Amir, the fate of Hasan Ali and the winning moment.
“For me, it was a new trip because I was a young player. Playing against India, this excitement and nervousness were there, but when we won, we appreciated and celebrated.
“Many things have changed since the Champions Trophy took place in 2017. We have new players to come, we have only three or four players who were part of this winning team. But belief, trust and execution are the same. »»
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Pakistan launches the tournament against New Zealand in Karachi on Wednesday, a confrontation that will include two of the biggest names in the competition, with Babar who will have to compete with Kiwi Kane Williamson star.
Joe Root, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli are among the respective teams of England, Australia and India, but Babar is held in a league in him in Odi cricket, before this competition as a hitter Better classified in the world in 50 format.
“When you have responsibility as a senior player in any team and the team is based on you and you believe in you, then I take it positively,” he said.
“I try to give the best of all matches. I try to play so that Pakistan wins and I appreciate my cricket.
Its shape will be crucial if Pakistan must improve their recent tournament record. They were eliminated in the group phase in the last two World Cups of Men’s Men’s Male Cricket and suffered the same fate during the Male T20 World Cup ICC from last year after losing against co-hosts UNITED STATES.
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“There is no pressure on anything,” said Babar.
“What has happened in the past is beyond us. We discussed the mistakes we made and we worked on it. So we will try not to do what we have done in the past. »»
Home advantage could be essential if Pakistan must undergo a change in fortune. The hometown of Babar, Lahore, is one of the three Pakistani cities organizing matches and he thinks local knowledge will help his team prosper.
“When you play at home, you get this advantage because you know the conditions,” he said.
“You have knowledge of how the field will behave, both in the first and second (sleeves), but you must always play the right cricket because all the other teams are among the best.
“It means a lot to organize competition. Hospitality here in Pakistan is great and people like cricket here.
“The cricket puts everyone in the same place. He unites everyone and the whole of Pakistan is busy praying that Pakistan wins. Everyone is united in this.
