Pakistan batter Babar Azam has advised youngsters on handling the pressure of facing India ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 clash on Sunday at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, saying players perform better when they remain calm and shut out the outside noise.
India and Pakistan have met eight times in the T20 World Cup so far, with India winning seven of those encounters, while Pakistan have managed just a solitary victory in 2021.
“We have played quite a few such matches, and we’ve learned that the calmer and more relaxed you keep yourself, the less you listen to outside noise, the better it is. If you stay straightforward and focused, that helps a lot,” said Babar in a video shared by ESPNcricinfo on X.
“From our experience, we talk to the youngsters as well and tell them that yes, there is excitement, but the more you stay easy and tension-free, the better it will be for you,” he added.
Babar played a key role when Pakistan last defeated India in a T20 World Cup in 2021, stitching a 152-run opening partnership with Mohammad Rizwan that helped Pakistan secure a 10-wicket win.
The 31-year-old also spoke about the intensity surrounding the fixture and the heightened expectations.
“As we discussed, an India–Pakistan match is always high-intensity. The whole world is involved, all the fans, both countries, and as you said, it feels like the entire world is watching. It then goes to a different level, and the expectations also rise to a completely different level,” said Babar.
Babar will again be in the spotlight when the two sides meet on Sunday. He struggled in Pakistan’s opening match of the tournament against the Netherlands, scoring 15 off 18 balls, but looked in good touch in the following game against the USA, making 46 off 32 deliveries, including four boundaries and a six.