In anticipation of the final league match against England at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has responded to critics questioning his captaincy methods and tactics. Facing an improbable task of progressing to the semi-finals, Pakistan needs to bat first and defeat England by 287 runs.
Under intense pressure and criticism for the team's performances, the 29-year-old captain addressed the media on Friday, dismissing the notion that criticism has affected his performance. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had hinted at replacing Babar as the ODI captain following the World Cup.
Babar urged his critics to message him personally with their advice, stating, " "I have been captaining for the last 3 years and I don't feel there has been any pressure on me. It's not that I or the team has not performed due to which people are saying there is pressure on me. I have been giving the same performance since I became the captain. These things happen and it's how one looks at it. Everyone has their own point of view, thinking. If someone has to give me advise then my phone number is available to all. It is easy to advise sitting on TV screens, better would be to message me personally. So, I don't feel there has been any pressure on me."
Expressing the team's plan for the crucial match, Babar stated, "We would want to go all guns blazing but it will be done according to a plan. We have planned on how to play first 10 overs, then 20 over and build partnerships. I personally feel if Fakhar Zaman stays on the wicket for 20 or 30 overs, we would be able to achieve it. Then it would be followed up by Rizwan and Iftikhar."
With England currently positioned 7th in the points table, they must defeat Pakistan to secure direct qualification for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The match is poised to be a high-stakes encounter as both teams vie for a spot in the semi-finals.
