‘Records are made to be broken’: Babar out to snap Pakistan losing streak

Pakistan have not beaten India in an ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup match in seven attempts since they first met in the 1992 tournament in Australia.

But the Pakistan captain is confident his side will snap the losing streak when the two undefeated teams clash in this year’s Cricket World Cup on Saturday.

“I don't focus on the past, I try to focus on the future,” Babar said.

“Such records are made to be broken and I try to break them.

“I will try to give a good performance tomorrow, on the day. It depends on the day how you play.

“I believe my team did well in the first two matches and will do well in the next matches as well.”

The rivals have rarely met in ODIs in recent years, with India victorious in their only match in the format since the Cricket World Cup 2019.

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul starred with centuries as India comprehensively won their ODI clash at this year’s Asia Cup by 228 runs on their way to securing the event trophy.

India also came out on top when the two teams crossed paths at the last Cricket World Cup in 2019, when it was Rohit Sharma’s turn to get among the runs with Kohli in an 89-run triumph on the D/L method.

Babar revealed that Pakistan’s poor recent record against India has not been raised with his side, especially as the pressure is already ramped up whenever the teams meet.

“To be honest – yes, India-Pakistan match is a big game – it is a high intensity game,” Babar said.

“I've just told them to give us the best opportunity – give us whatever best you have, which you have been doing.

“That’s our belief as a player, as a team - we will execute our plans. The main thing is to execute our plans and believe in us.

“Ahmedabad is a big stadium and a lot of fans are coming, so this is a golden opportunity for us to perform well in front of the fans and become heroes.”

Stakes high for clash between undefeated rivals India and Pakistan

Pakistan can enter the blockbuster clash full of confidence after starting their Cricket World Cup campaign with two victories from their opening matches against Sri Lanka and Netherlands.

While Babar failed to build a big score in both of those matches, Abdullah Shafique was one of multiple centurions as the 23-year-old made an immediate impact in his World Cup debut against Sri Lanka.

The 1992 World Cup champions have a blend of youth and experience that Babar expects to be comfortable even on such a grand stage against India.

“We learn to handle pressure through experience. The more you go through it the better you know how to handle it,” Babar said.

“It's a big game, a Pakistan-India match. How to handle it? Keep yourself calm.

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“Keep your eyes on the ball. When you are in the field, keep your eyes on the ball. When you are batting, keep your eyes on the ball.

“That's it. Don't think too much. Just keep yourself focused.”