Pakistan skipper Babar Azam praised India’s Virat Kohli and said that he has learnt a lot from the batting maestro ahead of their Asia Cup 2023 clash in Sri Lanka in Kandy on September 2nd.
Both Babar and Kohli have been instrumental in setting new standards in batting in the world of cricket over the past few years. Last month, Kohli openly expressed his admiration and respect for Babar, acknowledging the Pakistani batter's prowess as a top ODI player.
This mutual respect between two of the game's premier batters adds to the intrigue of their on-field rivalry.
"The debate that has been going on should be left to them. I don't want to comment on it. Everybody has their point of view. There should be mutual respect. I have been taught that we should respect our seniors. I have learnt a lot from him. I have said in a lot of interviews that in 2019 I talked to him and he helped me a lot. He has been helpful," Babar said in the pre-match conference on Friday.
He further talked about the Asia Cup being a demanding tournament and their attempts to find the perfect balance in the squad before the World Cup.
"We cannot say that the Asia Cup is a small tournament and the best teams of Asia as well as the best players are also playing. At no point in time, you can take it easy. Preparation is definitely for the World Cup but our current focus is on the Asia Cup.
"We are not relaxing at any point. We are trying to go either way best. We are trying to focus on the cricket that lies ahead of us. We are trying different combinations and we are trying to give our balanced side the most number of opportunities before the big event," Babar added.
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Babar Azam believes that this extensive experience in Sri Lankan conditions will benefit the team in their match against India.
"We have been here since July. We have played Test matches, some league (LPL) matches, and then the ODIs (against Afghanistan). We are hoping that this will help us to do well against India tomorrow," Babar Azam said.
The Pakistan skipper, who scored 151 against Nepal, said that they are solely focused on the game and not distracted by external factors.
"There is no extra pressure. Yes, the India vs. Pakistan match is always one of high intensity, but we have experienced players, and we just need to concentrate on our strengths and do well," he added.
(ANI/PTI inputs)
