The Pakistan cricket team looked sharp as they made their way into the stadium from their hotel room ahead of the blockbuster clash against India in Kandy, Pallekele. The likes of Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Faheem Ashraf, Saud Shakeel, and Naseem Shah were spotted in the video shared by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s official Twitter handle on Saturday.
Babar Azam and co. started their Asia Cup 2023 campaign with a commanding 238-run win over Nepal in Multan. The captain led from the front as he cracked 151 off 131 deliveries, while Iftikhar Ahmed smashed his maiden ODI hundred off only 67 deliveries to propel the hosts to an imposing 342-6. Following the exploits of the batters, Shadab Khan picked up 4 wickets to skittle Nepal for a paltry 104.
Pakistan have also retained the same playing XI for the crucial clash against India. An injury cloud hung over Shaheen Shah Afridi; however, he was declared fit to play. The left-arm pacer's expertise with the new ball and his ability to pick wickets will be critical against the Men in Blue.
Babar Azam explains why Pakistan feel no pressure ahead of facing India:
At the presser on Friday, Babar revealed that they want to focus on what they can control and are confident about things coming together on the day. He elaborated:
"I don't think we feel the pressure of this game. We're focusing on what we can control. We want to continue our momentum. The boys are excited. You know India-Pakistan is a high-intensity match, and the fans wait for it for a while. We're similarly excited. We're going to stick with the same top order; but if we don't get a good start, I am encouraged by the middle order stepping up. They're chipping in. We had been lagging in the middle order for a while, but they're responding well now."
India lead the head-to-head contest in Asia Cup ODIs against Pakistan.
