Pakistan skipper Babar Azam Wednesday rubbished the
notion that he is under any sort of pressure and said that he has "nothing
to prove".
Babar, while addressing a press conference ahead of the second Test against England in Multan,
reiterated that he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone.
“I am under no pressure and always try to give my best
on the field. I don’t have to prove anything regarding my credentials as a
player. I try to enjoy my cricket and learn from my mistakes,” he said.
The 28-year-old cricketer said that it is not his focus
to pay heed to what people say, but only to lead Pakistan into victories with
his performance.
He also backed his team to play in the final of the
World Test Championship next year. Pakistan are currently in the fifth position
on the table and need to win all of their remaining matches in order to have a
chance of playing the final.
After the remaining two Tests against England, Pakistan
will play two matches versus New Zealand on home soil.
“We want to play the final of the World Test Championship.
We have made comebacks in the past and can do the same in the future as well,”
he said.
The Pakistan skipper also spoke about the future of
veteran batter Azhar Ali, who has struggled for runs in the recent past.
"Azhar Ali is our senior player. I will support
him as captain but it is up to Azhar Ali himself to decide his future," he
said.
Azam also said that Pakistan fluffed a great
opportunity to win the first Test against England in Rawalpindi.
It must be noted that England took full advantage of winning
the toss — and their batting depth — to win the first Test by 74 runs Monday on
a dead wicket that offered nothing to the bowlers.
Rawalpindi yielded 1,768 runs in four innings — the
third most in Test history — with seven individual centuries and five 50s.
"The Rawalpindi Test was in our hands but due to
our own mistakes, we were unable to save the Test match. Back-to-back fall of
wickets cost us the match,” he concluded.