'Beating India... one of the best': Babar stokes fire; brags about Pakistan's win as captain

Pakistan batter Babar Azam opened up connected the moments helium treasures astir arsenic skipper and the opponents who shaped his cricketing maturation during a candid speech with Kevin Pietersen connected "The Switch | Kevin Pietersen". The erstwhile skipper said thing comes adjacent to the lucifer Pakistan yet broke their World Cup jinx against India successful Dubai successful 2021.

Asked by Pietersen astir his proudest achievements arsenic captain, Babar didn’t hesitate. “It means a batch for me, I think, India… So erstwhile we are beating India successful T20. I think, for me, 1 of the best. First time, arsenic a Pakistani captain, I bushed India successful the World Cup. Yeah, it's a very, precise large thing,” helium said.

Pietersen agreed instantly, calling India–Pakistan contests “the biggest sporting lawsuit successful the world,” bigger adjacent than a shot World Cup last successful sheer impact. Babar said the magnitude of that triumph — Pakistan’s archetypal implicit India successful a men’s World Cup — remains unmatched successful his career. The 2021 fixture, wherever Babar and Mohammad Rizwan chased down 152 without losing a wicket, became a defining landmark for Pakistan cricket.

Babar’s calm 68* and Rizwan’s unbeaten 79 dismantled India successful a 10-wicket victory, mounting the code for Pakistan’s tally to the semifinals. It remains 1 of the astir emphatic results successful the past of the rivalry crossed formats. Babar besides spoke astir the lessons helium has absorbed from the modern greats helium has faced. He revealed helium routinely seeks retired absorption stars aft matches to recognize however they deliberation and train.

“When we person a match… aft the match, I inquire him successful the match. I request your clip aft the match,” helium told Pietersen, confirming helium has spoken to Joe Root, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith and adjacent India's Virat Kohli.

Asked what those conversations cover, Babar said the absorption is ever connected mentation and intelligence discipline. “You know, mindset… absorption and moving hard. How galore balls he's playing successful the day… erstwhile he's batting successful the nets, however absorption successful the batting time. The aforesaid mindset you instrumentality successful the lucifer oregon signifier oregon different. So they springiness maine good, you know, tips.” For Babar, the joyousness lies not lone successful the achievements but successful learning from the champion — though nothing, helium stressed, matches the nighttime Pakistan yet bushed India connected 1 of the biggest stages.