Sharing his aspirations on social media platform Instagram, Babar was seen alongside his teammates, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Rizwan, and pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, donning the national side’s new jersey for the prestigious tournament.
“New Kit, Same Ambition,” read the caption of Babar’s story on Instagram.
Pakistan’s journey in the previous T20 World Cup, which took place in Australia in 2022, ended in a bittersweet manner. The team showcased their prowess by reaching the final, but their dreams of clinching their second T20 WC title were shattered as they suffered a five-wicket defeat against England.
Pakistan’s sole title victory in the tournament came in the 2009 edition, held in England, where they emerged triumphant by defeating Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final.
As the upcoming T20 World Cup approaches, Pakistan are gearing up for the challenge by engaging in two T20I series away from home. They are set to face Ireland and England, with each series consisting of three matches. These series will provide Pakistan with valuable opportunities to fine-tune their strategies and assess their team’s performance ahead of the prestigious tournament.
Here is the schedule for Pakistan’s tour to Ireland and England ahead of the T20 World Cup. In the T20 WC, India and Pakistan are in Group A along with Ireland, Canada and USA. Pakistan will start its campaign against the USA on June 6.
Ireland series: May 10: First T20I, Dublin; May 12 Second T20I, Dublin; May 14: Third T20I, Dublin
England series: May 22: First T20I, Leeds; May 25: Second T20I, Birmingham; May 28: Third T20I, Cardiff; May 30: Fourth T20I, London.
Pakistan squad for series against England and Ireland: Babar Azam (C), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan.
(With ANI inputs)
