Srinagar: Pakistan all format skipper Babar Azam has said thay his side has got quality cricketers and match winners who will step up in absence of pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.
India and Pakistan are set to clash in a blockbuster match of T20 Asia Cup 2022 in Dubai on Sunday.
Before the start of the tournament, both the sides have injury concerns. Pakistan are without Shaheen Shah Afridi, whereas India are without Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel.
However, the absence of these players will not reduce the competitiveness between the two sides who will be aiming to make a winning start to the competition.
“I know there is tremendous excitement in both the countries but for us, it is just another game. Our preparations have been excellent and we will take the field oozing with confidence,” Babar Azam was quoted as saying by PCB website.
“Our victory over India 11 months ago at the same venue is a good reference point, but that’s all. While we will continue to reflect on it positively, Sunday and any other matches down the line will be new fixtures that will be played in new conditions,” Babar said.
“I have always believed you don’t need any additional motivation to play and perform for Pakistan. Representing your country at a global stage itself is a huge honour and pride, and the objective is always to make the country proud,” he said.
Babar said that he is confident that in absence of Shaheen Afridi other players will step up.
“We have a squad full of quality cricketers and match-winners, who will step-up in the absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi and take additional responsibility during the tournament. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we have already demonstrated we are not a one-man squad. In five league matches, we had five different player of the matches,” Babar said.
Babar said that he was happy to see Team India members meeting and enquiring with Shaheen Shah Afridi.
“I was actually touched by the way they met Shaheen Shah Afridi during Thursday’s training session and expressed their support to him. The visuals of the players interacting with each other were also heartwarming and reflected the respect and friendship they enjoy. But on the match day, everything will be kept aside and players from either side will come hard at each other in an effort to overpower the other.”
This will be the 15th edition of the Asia Cup since its inception in 1984, but only the second time it will be played on a T20 format. India had won the 2016 event in Bangladesh played on the T20 format, while Pakistan had finished third.
Pakistan Squad – Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, R Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, Y Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan.