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87 minutes of Babar Azam brilliance vs India that broke the World Cup jinx

Soumyajit Dutta

Virat Kohli and Babar Azam [Source: @kaptaan_amir/X.com]Virat Kohli and Babar Azam [Source: @kaptaan_amir/X.com]

On October 24, 2021, under the lights of the Dubai International Stadium, on a warm evening, Babar Azam walked out to bat carrying the weight of a nation and a 29-year-old World Cup jinx. For twelve previous encounters across ODI and T20 World Cups, the result had been a constant, painful refrain for Pakistan. A loss to arch-rivals India. 

The occasion, the history, and the pressure could have been paralysing, but on that night, Babar authored an innings of sublime composure that would finally rewrite the narrative.

Babar Azam's chase began slowly but with composure

The chase of 152 began not with a flurry of boundaries, but with calculated caution. The Indian pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah bowled tight lines, and the powerplay yielded a modest 43 runs without loss. Alongside his partner Mohammad Rizwan, Babar was content to play the situation, absorbing the pressure and laying a foundation. 

Babar Azam after completing his fifty [Source: @compose_team/X.com]Babar Azam after completing his fifty [Source: @compose_team/X.com]

The turning point arrived as the innings approached its midpoint. Facing Ravindra Jadeja, Babar, then on a patient 21 off 25 balls, pounced on a fractionally short delivery, rocking back to punch it over mid-wicket for a commanding six. It was a statement of intent that shifted the momentum irrevocably.

That shot seemed to release all the built-up tension. As dew began to slick the surface, making life difficult for the Indian bowlers, Babar Azam shifted through the gears with breathtaking elegance. In the 13th over, he targeted leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who now had the short boundary on the leg side. Seizing the advantage, Babar expertly pulled a short ball high over square leg for a second six, a shot of pure authority. 

Babar-Rizwan finished the chase with calm

The previously required run rate was now under control, and the belief in the Pakistani camp turned into palpable certainty. Babar Azam’s knock of 68 not out was a masterpiece of timing and temperament. He reached his fifty off 40 balls, but it was the effortless manner in which he found the ropes that demoralised the opposition. 

Babar Azam and Rizwan navigated the entire Indian attack without ever offering a chance with their unbroken 152-run partnership. The winning moment, a crisp single, was fittingly understated, capping a perfect ten-wicket victory that was built on the back of their captain’s brilliant, calculated assault.