T20 World Cup: Babar Azam warns against complacency ahead of Namibia match

• Pakistan skipper says he always wanted to be the best player.
• Says he wants to build a team that can beat any side in the world.
• “I’m still on that quest and trying to be more consistent and improve my performance," says Pakistan skipper.

DUBAI: Pakistan captain Babar Azam says the team can’t afford to be complacent at any stage in the T20 World Cup as his side takes on minnows Namibia today (Tuesday).

In a video shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the flamboyant batter shared his plans for the national cricket team and what motivates him to perform better.

The Pakistani team will cement its place in the semi-finals after a victory in today’s match against Namibia, but the skipper has warned the side against complacency.

“In a tournament like this, we will have to be at our best in every game and perform with consistency. We can’t be complacent at any stage against any team because the moment you give a bit of margin to your opponent, they will be in a position to snatch the game away from you, so we will have to be at our best,” the skipper advised his teammates.

Source of confidence

Babar Azam said expectations by fans to perform in every game is a source of confidence for him and he aims to keep his fans happy by helping Pakistan win every game.

The star cricketer said his goal is to build a strong Pakistan team that can beat any side in the world and keep Pakistan’s flag held high.

Azam said he always wanted to be the best and is still on the quest to achieve what he dreamt about as a youngster.

“I always wanted to be the top player. When I was young, it was my dream to be someone who’s liked and backed by everyone as a cricketer,” he said.

“I’m still on that quest and trying to be more consistent and improve my performance. I’m always focused on my goal,” the Pakistan captain added.

The 27-year old batter has scored 2332 runs in 59 T20I innings - the most by anyone in the first 59 T20I innings of his career. His consistent match-winning performances for the country has made him the centre of fans’ expectations.

“It is a responsibility to live up to the expectations of fans,” Azam said.

“They always expect us to perform in every game and I draw confidence from that. I always aim to keep my fans happy and satisfied with my performances and help Pakistan win matches,” he added.

Under his captaincy, Pakistan is undefeated in the ongoing T20 World Cup. So far, the green shirts have defeated India, New Zealand and Afghanistan to remain on top of the tables.

For all of Geo.tv's latest news, updates and analysis of the T20 World Cup 2021, visit: https://www.geo.tv/t20-worldcup-2021/