Pak vs Eng, CWC '23: Is Babar Azam under captaincy pressure as Pakistan nears elimination? Skipper responds

Pakistan are nearing elimination in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. After New Zealand's big win over Sri Lanka on Thursday (Nov 9), the Babar Azam-led Men in Green are virtually out of contention. They need to thrash England, in their last league game, by over 287 runs or chase down any score in less than 10 overs to topple NZ, who currently holdthe fourth spot, and book a semi-final date with hosts India on Nov 15.

Ahead of their game versus Jos Buttler-led England, in Bengaluru, Babar interacted with the media and spoke at length on whether there is captaincy pressuregiven the team's early exit looking inevitable. In the recent past, many former Pakistani cricketers have lashed out at Babar's captaincy and, thus, pressure is building for his removal.

'Easy to give advice on TV. If you want to give me some advice, message me'

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Regarding all such speculations, Babar said, "I have been captaining my team for the last three years and I have never felt this way. It’s just because I have not performed the way I should have in the World Cup, that’s why people are saying that I am under pressure. I am under no pressure. I have been doing this for the last 2.5 or 3 years. I was the one who was performing and I was the one who was the captain. I was applying the same thing."

"It depends how you take such thing. Everyone has their own point of view, their own way of thinking. Everyone is saying something different. He should be like this, or like that. If someone has to give me advice, everyone has my number. It is easy to give advice on TV. If you want to give me some advice, you can message me."

Babar added, "I don't think I was under any pressure or felt any different because of this. I try to give my best in the field during the fielding. During batting, I think about how I should make runs and make the team win." About the captaincy – as I said, once we go back to Pakistan or after this match, we will see what happens. But right now, I am not focusing on this, my focus is on the next match."

Pakistan and England are set to face-off at the Eden Gardens in Kolkataon Saturday (Nov 15).