Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar had an unexpected encounter with Pakistan captain Babar Azam in New York. The duo were involved in an intimate chat after bumping into each other in the dining area of an hotel. While Babar is in the Big Apple for the ongoing T20 World Cup, Gavaskar is also part of the commentary team for the tournament. In a video uploaded by Pakistan cricket, Gavaskar can be seen explaining something with Babar carefully listening to the living legend.
Babar also clicked a picture with Gavaskar, with both shaking hands while posing for a photo at the start of the video.
Babar Azam interacts with cricketing icon Sunil Gavaskar #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/YZMRkDBXWV
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 1, 2024
Pakistan kick off their T20 World Cup campaign on Thursday against co-hosts USA. However, the team has been under fierce criticism of former players following the series defeat to England earlier this week.
Babar has also been criticised by the former players for hiding behind the selectors and not picking the right players for the tournament. The match against USA will be a huge one in context of the current scenario as few days later, Pakistan will come up against arch-rivals India.
India have lost only once to Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in seven meetings with their only defeat coming in 2021 when the Virat Kohli-led side lost by 10 wickets at the Super 12 stage.
Ahead of the match against Pakistan, Babar advised his side to stay calm and stick to basics during the much-awaited T20 World Cup clash.
“We know the Pakistan-India fixture generates more discussion than any other match. There is a different vibe altogether for this fixture, and there’s a lot of excitement too not just among players but also among the fans. 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 this fixture and focuses on this one particular match,” Babar said in a PCB podcast.
“Obviously, the expectations and the hype around this match causes some nervousness. It all comes down to how you handle it and the more you focus on the basics, the easier it will be for you as a player.
“It’s a game of immense pressure, and if you keep your head cool, stay calm and trust your hard work and skills, things will be easier,” Babar added.
(With PTI Inputs)
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