Pakistan captain Babar Azam ‘overwhelmed with love and support’ as team arrives in Hyderabad ahead of World Cup

Ahead of Pakistan’s warm-up game against New Zealand for the much-awaited ODI World Cup, the ‘Men in Green’ arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad on Wednesday. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and their star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi were in high spirits and were visibly smiling as they posed for the camerapersons.

Babar Azam also posted a story on his Instagram account. Babar Azam posted a photo of himself arriving in Hyderabad with the caption, “Overwhelmed with the love and support here in Hyderabad”. 

After nearly a decade since their last visit in 2012-13 for a bilateral series, Pakistan has finally arrived in India. The ‘Men in Green’ have undergone substantial changes since then, with the majority of the squad facing the prospect of playing in India for the very first time. This dearth of familiarity with Indian conditions could pose a significant challenge for the entire team.

Earlier in Pakistan, Babar addressed the concerns during a press conference and said, “All of us are proud of travelling for the World Cup. Although we have not played in India before, we are not taking too much pressure. We have done our research and we have heard the conditions are similar to how they play out in other Asian countries. It is quite an honour for me to travel as the captain this time around, I hope we come back with a trophy this time.”

The lack of experience on Indian soil won’t be the only thing that Pakistan will miss. The presence of the home crowd during their tournament matches will be another notable absentee.

“Unfortunately, we will be missing the fans. However, as far as I know, the games are all sold out so we will be playing in jam-packed stadiums. Although our fans will not be there, I know they will make sure their love is heard on social media. I have heard that the fans in India also show their love, although I have not experienced that as of yet but I am excited to play in India as well,” Babar added. 

Ahead of the World Cup, Pakistan will play their warm-up match against New Zealand which is scheduled to take place in Hyderabad on September 29 behind closed doors.

They will kick off their campaign for the World Cup against the Netherlands on October 6 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. 

Pakistan World Cup squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Wasim. 

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