Pakistan’s cricket team captain, Babar Azam, addressed the media before the team’s departure for the ODI World Cup 2023, which is scheduled to take place in India. During the press conference, one of the questions from a journalist didn’t sit well with Babar, as it concerned the performance of Pakistan’s spinners leading up to the World Cup.
Babar said
The journalist asked about the spinners’ poor show, which prompted Babar to respond in a cheeky and confident manner. He said, “Sir acche nahi hai to bata de kaun se ache hai” (If they’re not good, then tell me who is better). He went on to explain that while some may perceive the spinners’ recent performance as subpar, he considers them to be his best spinners. Babar defended his players, stating that they represent Pakistan because they are talented and skilled, and he has full faith in their ability to perform well in the World Cup.
Babar also expressed his disappointment over the absence of Naseem Shah from the squad due to a shoulder injury. He mentioned that Naseem and Shaheen Afridi had formed a potent bowling combination for Pakistan, and Naseem’s absence would be felt. However, the management decided to replace him with Hasan Ali due to his extensive experience, especially in World Cup tournaments.
“Surely, we will miss him a lot. He was bowling with the new ball in three formats and the duo of Shaheen and Naseem together gave a different vibe. Unfortunately, we will miss him we chose to replace him with the best availability we had. It was difficult. We had a long discussion with coach, Mickey Arthur and Inzy Bhai and chose Hasan Ali because he has a lot of experience of playing in World Cups,” he added.
Hasan Ali, known for his exceptional performance in the 2017 Champions Trophy where he won the Golden Ball as the leading wicket-taker, brings a wealth of experience to the squad. Pakistan will begin their World Cup campaign with a match against the Netherlands on October 06 in Hyderabad. Before that, they have warm-up fixtures against New Zealand and Australia.
Babar’s response to the journalist not only defended his team’s spinners but also displayed his confidence in their abilities as they prepare to compete on the world stage in the ODI World Cup 2023.
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