Legendary Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi revealed his conversation with the Men in Green captain Babar Azam after the win over Sri Lanka during the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 on Tuesday.
Afridi said that he backed Azam, who has only scored a total of 15 runs in the first two matches of the World Cup, to notch up big scores in the coming matches.
“I spoke to Babar Azam last night and congratulated him about the win,” Afridi said on a local news channel.
“I told him to be confident since he is a big match player. I backed him to score big in coming matches. When Babar replied to my message, he also seemed positive and eager to do well.
“He was unlucky in the last match but I’m sure he will score hundred in the big matches.”
It must be noted that Pakistan carried on to their impeccable form and registered a historic win against Sri Lanka in the eighth match of the ICC World Cup 2023.
The Men in Green pipped Ireland to claim the record of the highest-ever run chase in the history of ODI World Cups.
Chasing the target of 345 runs, the Men in Green met with early blows as they had lost their top-order batters, Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam, in just 7.1 overs and were 37-2 but the match-winning partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and the World Cup debutant, Abdullah Shafique, changed the fortunes of the struggling Pakistani side.
The 176-run stand between the two batters provided their side the much-needed break and got them in a dominating position once again.
Abdullah walked back to the pavilion after scoring 113 off 103 courtesy of 10 fours and three sixes but Rizwan stayed till the end and took his side over the line by scoring 131 runs — Pakistan’s second-highest individual score in the World Cup overtaking Ramiz Raja’s 119 against New Zealand in 1992.
The astounding win will be a great confidence booster for the Pakistani side who play the arch-rivals India in the most-anticipated match of the World Cup at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on October 14.
- Babar Azam
- Shahid Afridi