Babar Azam Press Conference: Pakistan captain addresses media

Babar Azam Press Conference: IND vs PAK LIVE – Captain Babar Azam addressed the media on Saturday ahead of Pakistan’s blockbuster clash against India. Much of the focus will be on how Babar and Co prepare for the India game in front of 100,000 spectators at the iconic MCG on Sunday. The Pakistan skipper gave an update on injuries and his playing XI. He said Shan Masood is recovered after suffering a freak accident in training. While Fakhar Zaman is still to recover and will not be available vs India. Follow India vs Pakistan LIVE and ICC T20 World Cup 2022 Live Updates on Insidesport.IN

IND vs PAK LIVE: Babar Azam press conference talking points

Shan Masood injury – Babar said Shan is recovered but didn’t reveal if he will play a part in Sunday’s encounter.
Team combination – “Fakhar Zaman’s recovery is going well, but he’s not fully fit yet and won’t be available for the match against India,” the Pak skipper said.
Middle-order woes – “I believe in my middle-order. Any player can surprise on the day. You never know,” Babar said.

PAK🇵🇰 had optional practice and some players turned up. Finally the ground is seeing some action with the rain having stopped. Keep following this space for more updates from Melbourne.@BoriaMajumdar @sharmisthagoop2 @ThumsUpOfficial #T20WorldCup #TeamPakistan #T20worldcup22 pic.twitter.com/k0WaYjOrw8

— RevSportz (@RevSportz) October 22, 2022

Babar Azam Press Conference: Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s PC Starts soon, update on Shan Masood expected – Follow IND vs PAK LIVE

Babar Azam PC pointers

Rain is not in our hands but we would want match to happen as people have come to watch the match .
Definitely our pace attack is good. Shaheen is making a comeback, Naseem Shah is looking good.
Off the field when we meet we meet very warmly. We want to meet nicely. On the field we play with intensity.
Shan Masood is fine and he has recovered as the reports are saying. Thankfully he is fine. He is fit to play tomorrow’s match.
We plan against every player, said Babar.
Fakhar is not fully recovered. He is recovering well but he will take a few matches to recover. So, he is not playing against India tomorrow.
Haris Rauf has helped the team in understanding the dynamic of MCG and playing in Australia. He has played for Melbourne in the Big Bash on this ground.
I believe in my team’s middle order. They can help us win games too.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam faced a barrage of questions in his customary Pre-match press conference on Saturday. Among the topics for discussion was Shan Masood’s injury, with the left-handed Pakistan batter suffering a freak injury in the nets.

Also Read: IND vs PAK: Watch INSIDE video of India & Pakistan Cricket team’s very special shoot before the MEGA T20 World CUP CLASH at MCG: Check OUT

Babar Azam Press Conference: Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s PC Starts soon, update on Shan Masood expected – Follow IND vs PAK LIVE

Shan Masood Injury:

“All of Shan Masood’s neurological observations are normal. His CT scan only shows superficial bruising where the ball struck him. He currently is asymptomatic and as concussion, he will be re-tested tomorrow,” PCB said in a statement.

Nonetheless, whether the batter makes the XI remains to be seen. The Men in Green have a host of options to choose from with Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah among options.

While Shan Masood’s participation is in doubt, Shaheen Afridi will feature in his first competitive match since coming back from injury. The left-arm pacer bowled four overs in the warm-up game against Afghanistan, and did so with great efficiency in Brisbane. The 21-year-old was the star of the last India vs Pakistan T20 WC game, and will be aiming to make a mark once again on Sunday.

Babar Azam is likely to keep his cards close to his chest and not reveal much of his selection plans heading into the India clash. The Men in Green will aim to solve their batting crisis, with Babar also under criticism for his lack of intent at the top of the order. The middle order faces scrutiny for their lack of runs, and how Pakistan aim to tackle the problem will also be a part of discussions.