The Pakistan national cricket team has arrived in New York ahead of their highly anticipated T20 World Cup match against India on June 9.
“The team, led by captain Babar Azam, was warmly received by Consul General Aamer Ahmad Atozai,” PTV News said in a post on X.
The team was warmly received by Aamer Ahmad Atozai, the consul general of Pakistan in New York.
Atozai extended his best wishes to the team and urged the Pakistani diaspora and cricket fans in New York and across the US to come out in large numbers to support the team.
“Your encouragement and presence will undoubtedly boost the morale of our players and inspire them to achieve great success,” Atozai said, wishing the team a “successful and memorable tournament.”
This comes after Pakistan suffered a stunning defeat to hosts United States in their first match of the tournament, surprising cricket experts and fans alike.
The high-stakes clash between Pakistan and India is scheduled for June 9 at 7:30pm PKT at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Security is expected to be heightened for the match due to reports of threats.
Following the India match, Pakistan will face Canada on June 11 at the same venue. The mega event is being co-hosted by the United States and the West Indies.
Pakistan has a tendency to underestimate less established teams at major tournaments, captain Babar Azam said, adding that his side played well below their standard in Thursday’s match.
The US beat Pakistan in a Super Over in Dallas to achieve one of the biggest upsets in Twenty20 World Cup history and secure their second win of the tournament.
This was not the first time that Pakistan suffered a defeat to lower-ranked opposition in major tournaments, with the 2009 champions losing to Zimbabwe in the 2022 T20 World Cup and Afghanistan at last year’s 50-overs World Cup.
“Whenever you come into any tournament, you always do the best preparation,” Babar told reporters after the defeat. “But you can say it’s a kind of mindset, when you come up against a team like this, you relax a little. You take things a little lightly.
“If you don’t execute your plan against any team, then whatever team it is, they will beat you. I believe that we are not up to the mark in executing. We are doing well in preparation, but in the match, we are not executing our plans as a team.”
Babar also lamented his side’s failure to take wickets in the first half of the US innings, with an early 68-run partnership between Mohank Patel and Andries Gous proving vital in the host nation’s chase.
“We are not playing good in all three departments,” Babar said. “We are better than that in the bowling, we aren’t taking wickets in the first six overs. In the middle overs, if your spinner is not taking wickets then pressure is on us.
“But I think the way they finished the game in the super overs, credit to the US team.”
