Last year’s semi-finalists and who won all their 5 Super 12 groups in the UAE, Pakistan have started the T20 World Cup 2022 with a loss – to India at the MCG in what was one of the greatest T20 World Cup matches wherein former India skipper Virat Kohli stood up to deliver his best T20I knock.
Pakistan looked on top, and on their way to a win when their fast bowlers had India on the ropes at the score of 31/4 when chasing 160 on a spicy, pacy, and bouncy Melbourne surface.
Kohli and Hardik Pandya stitched a century partnership, but still, when India needed 48 off the last 18 balls, and then 28 off 8 balls, it was the Men In Green who had the upper hand. Until Kohli thumped Haris Rauf for two sixes before he and Ashwin took India home a dramatic last over.
Babar Azam later delivered a heartwarming speech in the Pakistani dressing room. Having lost the first match by such a close margin, Azam knew his team needed upliftment from the doldrums.
The Pakistani skipper told his players that no fingers should be pointed at any specific player and that they should acknowledge they had given their best on the field.
“Brothers, it was a good match. We put in the effort, like always. Some mistakes happened but we have to learn from them, we shouldn’t fall. The tournament has just started, we have lots of matches left, remember that. Nobody should fall. In the end, I would say, we didn’t lose because of one person. We all lost as a team,” Babar said in a video that was shared by Cricket Pakistan.
“No one should point fingers on one person, this should not happen, not in this team. As a team we have lost, as a team we will win. We have to stick to together, remember that. We have had good performances too. Look at those too. There have been some really good performances, but the small mistakes that were committed, we need to work on them.”
Babar Azam gives confidence to Nawaz
With 16 runs required, the last over turned out to be quite an eventful one. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz was the only one left with an over to deliver, and he mostly bowled seam-up balls. But the pressure got to him as he sent down a waist-high no-ball to Kohli, who dispatched it for a six; there were two wides as well plus three byes off the free-hit.
Turning to motivate Mohammad Nawaz, Babar gave his all-rounder some much-needed words of confidence.
“Khaas taur se, Nawaz. Ghabra mat. Koi masla nahi. Tu match-winner hai mera. (Especially, Nawaz, don’t worry. You are my match-winner) and I will always have the belief in you. No matter what happens. You will win matches for me. The efforts were really good. It was a pressure game, but you took it close. Very well done. Whatever it is, leave it here. Going ahead, we will start afresh. We have played really well as a team and we have to continue that. Wish you all the best,” the Pakistan skipper asserted.
“We win as one and lose as one!”
Listen what Matthew Hayden, Babar Azam and Saqlain Mushtaq told their players following a heartbreaking loss in Melbourne.#T20WorldCup | #WeHaveWeWill pic.twitter.com/suxGf34YSe
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 23, 2022
