T20 World Cup 2022: [Watch] "Nobody should point fingers at anyone, that will not happen in this team" - Babar Azam gives a passionate team talk after loss to India
Pakistan captain Babar Azam gave a passionate speech in the dressing room after their four-wicket loss to India in the T20 World Cup 22 on Sunday, October 23.
Pakistan set India a 160-run target and had to defend 16 runs in the last over. But a series of dramatic events saw India win the contest by four wickets. Virat Kohli once again shone in a high-pressure clash, with many calling his 82* off 53 balls his best knock ever in the T20Is.
Babar, who scored a golden duck but made many right decisions in the second innings, asked his team to learn from their mistakes. He urged his teammates against pointing fingers at each other and asked for unity. The 28-year-old said:
"Brothers, it was a very good match. Putting the effort was in our hands and we did that. We put in the effort, made some mistakes and now we have to learn from them. We should not fall already. The tournament has just started, we have a lot of matches left, remember that. In the end, I would say we have not lost because of one person.
"We have all lost as a team. Nobody should point fingers at anyone, that will not happen in this team. We've lost as a team, we will win together. We have to stay together, remember that."
Babar singled out Mohammad Nawaz, who was sitting in the corner despondently. He bowled the last over and failed to defend 16 runs. But Babar said he'll always believe in the spinner's match-winning ability. He explained:
"We've had some good performances as well, look at that as well. There were some very good performances. The small mistakes that we did, we have to work on that as a team.
"Especially Nawaz, don't worry. You are my match-winner and I'll always believe in you whatever happens. You will win matches for me. The efforts were very good. It was a pressure over but you took it so close, very well done."
The skipper's speech was followed by loud applause from the team.
"Didn't quite go our way but that's not going to stop us" - Matthew Hayden while speaking before Babar Azam
Hayden talked about the "weird" umpiring decisions in the match, apparently pointing to the no-ball in the last over and the free-hit which resulted in three runs after the ball deflected off the stumps to the third man.
Both were legal calls but saw Pakistani players rush to the umpires for discussions mid-game.
Hayden asked his players to be proud and "move on", saying:
"Gee, what a match! And even the little challenges, like these little weird decisions in the game - it sort of had it all, right? Didn't quite go our way but that's not going to stop us, OK? Forgotten, proud of it, move on."
Pakistan will now play against Zimbabwe on Thursday, October 27, while India will take on the Netherlands on the same day.