Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, affirmed his team’s elevated confidence as they gear up for the highly anticipated Asia Cup clash against traditional rivals India. The reassurance stems from their comprehensive victory over Nepal in their opening encounter.

In their victory against Nepal, Babar Azam’s remarkable knock of 151 and Iftikhar Ahmed’s unbeaten 109 powered Pakistan to a commanding total of 342-6 at the Multan Cricket Stadium. Nepal, the Asia Cup debutants, were subsequently dismissed for 104 in 23.4 overs by Pakistan’s bowlers.

Babar Azam expressed how the triumph against Nepal serves as a positive precursor to their monumental face-off against India. He emphasized, “This game was good preparation for the India game because it gave us confidence.” The upcoming India-Pakistan encounter promises to be laden with intensity, and Babar Azam underscores his team’s commitment to giving their best in every match, with the India fixture being no exception.

Babar Azam, the top-ranked ODI batter, showcased his prowess as he paced his innings masterfully. Despite losing early wickets, Babar partnered with Mohammad Rizwan (44) to stabilize the innings, later joined by Iftikhar Ahmed, who continued the onslaught.

Babar Azam started cautiously, taking 72 balls to reach his half-century. However, he seamlessly transitioned into an aggressive phase, accelerating to his hundred in 109 balls. The subsequent phase of his innings saw a display of T20-style batting, extracting 51 runs off the next 22 balls he faced.

Babar reflected on his strategy, saying, “When I went in, the ball wasn’t coming on properly, so I was trying to build an innings with Rizwan.” He also praised Iftikhar Ahmed’s contribution and encouraged him to play his natural game, which resulted in Iftikhar’s impactful innings.