Babar Azam’s poignant moment post the Pakistan vs Afghanistan 2023 World Cup encounter has left a lasting impact on Afghanistan’s wicketkeeper-batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Despite Babar’s commendable 74, Pakistan couldn’t defend their score of 282 in Chennai, resulting in Afghanistan’s triumphant eight-wicket victory.
Recalling the emotional post-game exchange, Gurbaz praised Babar Azam’s resilience, revealing, “I didn’t want to say it on camera, but I must say, he was on the verge of crying. He felt down, and I’ve never seen a player in that state. Everyone was criticizing him. But I admire Babar bhai, he showed great strength and perseverance. He never gave up.”
“I’ll always remember that moment with Babar. After beating Pakistan, I requested his bat. When he brought it, he was visibly disappointed, and as a player, I could feel that. I understand that feeling, you know, losing the game and then facing this, especially in such a situation. He was under immense pressure. I recall feeling emotional too; he’s one of the finest players and captains,” he added.
The defeat marked Pakistan’s third consecutive loss, leading to Babar Azam stepping down from captaincy duties in all formats, as they finished fifth on the points table, missing a semi-final berth after a promising 2-0 start in the 2023 World Cup campaign.
