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'You Never Know, We've A Game Left' - Babar Azam Still Hopeful Of Playing Semifinal

image-losfb1amBabar Azam spoke at a pre-match press conference (Twitter)

Captain Babar Azam maintained hopes Pakistan are still in with a chance to secure a semifinal spot at the ICC World Cup 2023 in India. As his team gears up to take on England in a must-win clash in Kolkata on Saturday (November 11) with seemingly all realistic possibilities gone, the Pakistan skipper posed a defiant outlook and was willing to play for the mathematical chance. 

That chance is a point of discussions in cricketing circles and creating amusement and laughs for Pakistan's naysayers. The Asian giants are required to defeat England by a whopping margin of 287 runs or secure victory in a run-chase inside 16 balls at the Eden Gardens to elevate their NRR above fourth-placed New Zealand. 

It has all but cleared the deck for an India-New Zealand 2019 rematch at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai next week, with Pakistan set to travel home amidst extensive scrutiny for their lacklustre campaign and Babar's own inconsistent and subpar performances attracting huge criticism. 

Babar has made four fifties in eight innings and is nudging close to the 300-run mark for his individual campaign but has a low-key average of 40.28 with a rather ordinary strike rate of 82.69 in what has been a high-scoring tournament. 

Babar Azam Opens Up On Pakistan's Chances 

Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Kolkata prior to the marquee England clash at the iconic Eden Gardens, Babar spoke in light of his future as a Pakistan skipper and the context of the nearly-vanished knock-outs contention. 

"You never know what'll happen next, we've a match left.  We have planned about the net-run rate against England," Babar said in response to a query on how he has planned and prepared to approach the next encounter with the Englishmen. 

Pakistan might tinker around with their batting line-up and enter a more aggressive zone from the word go. 

However, Babar said there can't be blindsight hitting on display or else even a face-saving victory would slip out of equation against an England side that just defeated Netherlands to regain the winning ways and confidence. 

"We have received lots of love & support from India. Our innings will be planned, ye nhi hai k ja k andha dhund Fire khol dein (it's not that we can just enter and smash the ball without watching), I would want Fakhar (Zaman) to stay at the crease for 20-30 overs, then we can achieve it," the skipper responded to the question if Pakistan can get a sizeable enough score to beat England by a big margin.