Pakistan won the first T20I by 20 runs. (Source: AP)
Pakistan began the Independence Cup proceedings in an emphatic manner when they grabbed a win in the first T20I by 20 runs. The Sarfraz Ahmed-led side successfully defended a total of 197 in 20 overs. Babar Azam who was adjudged man of the match for his 86 insisted that he wasn’t under pressure.
“It’s all in the mindset. I practice accordingly. No pressure. It was a slow wicket and we concentrated on building the partnership. I’m working hard on my fitness. Towards the end of my innings, I realised I need to work more on my fitness.”
World XI captain Faf du Plessis praised the home side’s efforts in Lahore and hailed the variety they have in bowling department.
“It was a good game and I thought Pakistan played really well. They have great variations in their bowling attack and ours was probably a bit one-dimensional. We got starts, but couldn’t kick on. Quick turn-around and make sure we rest up and come fresh tomorrow. It’s great to play in front of the Pakistani crowd and hopefully the stadium will be full for the next 2 games.”
A delighted Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed praised his team’s game play and the way Azam and Shoaib Malik batted.
“It was an important game. Babar and Shehzad played really well. Shoaib Malik did well towards the end. There’s lot of talent in the domestic circuit and I’m sure many youngsters will get their chances in the future if they keep working on getting better. I want to thank crowd and PCB for making this a grand success. It has been organized very well and I’m delighted.”
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