"This is my shot": Pakistan captain Babar Azam backs his stroke despite being angry after dismissal
Jun 11, 2024
New York [USA], June 12 : Pakistan captain Babar Azam backed his shot selection despite being angry with the way he lost his wicket against Canada on a tricky New York surface in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
At the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan clinched their first win of the campaign with a comprehensive 7-wicket win over Canada.
Pakistan were cruising towards victory but faced a couple of roadblocks after Babar lost his wicket to Dillon Heyliger.
It was a de ja vu for Pakistan fans as Babar lost his wicket in a similar fashion, just like he did against arch-rival India.
He tried to play a late cut, but didn't find the ideal connection and edged to the wicketkeeper. Babar slammed his bat into the grass, visibly displeased by the manner he was dismissed.
"I got out to the same shot. This is my shot but sometimes you need success. So, I was angry. I still try my level best," Babar said in the post-match presentation.
It was a do-or-die clash for Pakistan, and the players stood up in the clutch moment, which kept their hopes of making it into the Super 8 alive.
The Asian Giants chased down 107 in 17.3 overs, which helped them bag two points and improve their net run rate (NRR). The seven-wicket win has taken their NRR to 0.19, while the USA is still ahead of them at 0.63.
During the game, commentators felt that Pakistan should have begun the game at a brisk pace. Babar admitted that NRR was something that was on the minds of players.
"Good for us. We needed this win. Credit to the team. We started well and took wickets with the new ball. We had NRR on the back of the mind. The first six overs are very crucial here. You assess after six overs. Then, we tried to take on the spinners. We are going to go with the same mindset. The conditions at Florida should be better from here," he concluded.
On the back of a strong outing with the ball, Pakistan restricted Canada to 107/7. In reply, buttressed by Mohammad Rizwan's run-a-ball 53*, Pakistan clinched a 7-wicket win.
They will face Ireland in their final game of the group stage on Sunday at the Central Broward Regional Park, Florida.
