‘Have belief that my boys…’: Babar Azam sets sights on shattering the losing streak against India in ODI World Cups

Pakistan captain Babar Azam remains unfazed by India’s perfect record over them in 50-over World Cups ahead of their meeting in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14. Instead, the 28-year-old sees it as an opportunity to break the streak and has full confidence in his players to rise to the occasion, even in front of what is likely to be a record-breaking crowd.

India has emerged victorious in all seven encounters against Pakistan in 50-over World Cups, dating back to the 1992 edition. The Men in Green, led by Sarfaraz Ahmed, were nowhere near defeating their arch-rivals four years ago and suffered a crushing 89-run loss in a rain-affected match. However, with the advantage of playing on home soil, the Men in Blue are once again considered strong favorites.

Speaking at a press conference held on Saturday, Babar expressed his team’s determination to leave the past behind and their unwavering optimism for a stellar performance in Ahmedabad.

“I don’t want to focus on what has happened in the past. I want to keep my focus on what’s to come. Records are made to be broken. We will try and break this too. We are hoping to come up with a good performance tomorrow. India vs Pakistan depends a lot on who does well on the big day. I have belief that my boys will be able to step up on the day,” he said.

The top-ranked ODI batter emphasized that the upcoming game will be intense, yet Pakistan remains confident in their ability to accomplish the task at hand.

“India vs Pakistan is a big game, it’s a high-intensity game. But it’s the best opportunity to give our best. We will continue to do what we have been doing well. We will certainly believe. Ahmedabad is a big stadium, a lot of fans will come. For us, it’s a golden opportunity to perform well,” he added.

Pakistan has emerged victorious in both of their matches thus far in the World Cup 2023. A triumph against India would undoubtedly position them as a formidable contender for the coveted trophy.

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