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This is just the start, says Babar


By AFP
Published : 25 Oct 2021 08:17 PM | Updated : 27 Oct 2021 12:16 PM

Pakistan captain Babar Azam said a first World Cup victory over India was "just the start" as his team basked in the joy of a 10-wicket triumph at the T20 global showpiece on Sunday.

Babar Azam scored a 52-ball 68 not out while fellow opener Mohammad Rizwan hit an undefeated 55-ball 79 as Pakistan achieved their first 10-wicket win in all Twenty20 internationals by comfortably chasing down their target of 152.

The loss was also India's first 10-wicket defeat in Twenty20 cricket.

"This is just the start, we have confidence to build on it now," said Babar after the opening win in the round-robin Super 12 stage.

"That will remain with us. The pressure on us wasn't that much -- we weren't thinking of the record against India at all."

Strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi got Pakistan off to a flying start.

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He dismissed dangerous opener Rohit Sharma with the fourth delivery of the match for a first-ball duck and then got the in-form KL Rahul (three) and India skipper Virat Kohli (57) in an incisive 3-31 spell off his four overs.

"We executed our plans well and the early wickets were very helpful," added Babar.

"Shaheen's wickets gave us a lot of confidence and the spinners dominated as well."

Victory also broke Pakistan's overall jinx of 12 World Cup games (seven 50-over World Cup matches as well) without a victory against India since 1992.

"Shaheen got us wickets at the top of the order and that proved to be the turning point," said Rizwan who said the victory was a gift to the nation.

"Congratulations to the whole of Pakistan and all our people as we were all waiting for this win," said Rizwan.

"This was my first game against India, so it's a good thing for me.

"I used to watch all the Indo-Pak matches on television and used to pinpoint where we made mistakes.

"But today's game was great and after Shaheen got those wickets we were confident we would win."

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