Pakistan got better of India for the first time ever in any World Cups, hammering the arch-rivals by 10 wickets in a lop-sided contest in UAE. Pakistan eventually lost to Australia in the semifinals.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has termed the jinx-breaking win over India in the T20 World Cup as the ‘best moment’ for his team in the year gone by. Summing up the year in a podcast released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday, Babar said that losing to Australia in the semifinals was most disappointing for the entire side. (More Cricket News)
“It was a fantastic achievement for us as a team because we had not been able to beat India in the World Cups for so many years. It was our best moment of the year,” Babar said.
Pakistan defeated India by 10 wickets in the lopsided match. India lost to New Zealand next and eventually bowed out in group stages.
Pakistan, who won all their five matches in the group stages, surrendered in front of Australia at the last moment in the knockouts, thanks to some thunderous batting from Travis Head.
“That defeat hurt me the most this year because we had been playing so well and as a combined unit,” he said.
He said the win over India also lifted the profile of the team and gave the players enormous confidence which was visible in the T20 and Test wins in Bangladesh and later at home against the West Indies. Babar said the Pakistan team progressed and achieved a lot last year.
“The biggest satisfaction was seeing young talent come through for us at crucial times. It is good we are now producing young talent,” he pointed out. About his own achievements with the bat, Babar said personal milestones gave him joy when they helped the team win.