In a video, Akhtar delivered a heartfelt message to Babar Azam‘s men, underscoring the potential for a comeback and the importance of the upcoming encounter against their arch-rivals.
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“Now the question is whether Pakistan has a chance or not? Pakistan has a chance, trust me! Whenever we are down and out, our World Cup journey has always been like this from the start. We always seemed to be struggling, except for the 1999 World Cup, which we cruised through, though we unfortunately lost in the final. But Pakistan can make a comeback from here. India is a tough opponent. Isn’t it enough motivation for you that you are up against the Indians?” said the former Pakistan international in a video posted on ‘X’.
The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash will take place at the pop-up Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island, New York, on Sunday. Pakistan’s campaign has had a rocky start following a shock loss to tournament co-hosts and newcomers, USA. Another defeat against India could jeopardize their chances of advancing to the Super Eight stage.
Their opening pair of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan has been underwhelming, while the rest of the batting order and spin-bowling combination has not inspired confidence. If Imad Wasim has recovered from a side strain that kept him out of the USA game, he is expected to return to the playing eleven.
With conditions favouring fast bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Amir could thrive and help Pakistan get their campaign back on track.
While India currently exude confidence and belief, Pakistan will need to rely on their unpredictability and ability to bounce back to make Sunday’s clash a thrilling one.
