“It is important to keep ourselves cool and relaxed” - Babar Azam ahead of the marquee clash against India

Ahead of the much-anticipated clash against India, Pakistan talismanic batter Babar Azam has stated that his team would not be listening to the outside noise and would keep themselves cool and relaxed on the big stage.

For the unversed, Pakistan is entering this encounter after suffering three consecutive defeats to India in the Asia Cup 2025 campaign, as India bagged the silverware in Dubai. Notably, these two sides will lock horns on Sunday, February 15, in Colombo.

"Like it has been talked about, the Pakistan versus India clash is always filled with high intensity. Fans from both the countries are involved, and in fact, the entire world is watching you play. So the expectations hit a different level,” Babar Azam told ESPNcricinfo.

“We've had our learnings from the clash in the past but know that it is important to keep ourselves cool and relaxed. We should not listen to the outside noise. Yes, the excitement is always there, but as much as you can keep your attention, the results can be favourable,” he added.

India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, is holding the Group A points table with two consecutive wins against the USA and Namibia. Meanwhile, the Salman Ali Agha-led Pakistan is occupying the second rank with two consecutive victories against the Netherlands and the USA.

India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.

Pakistan squad: Salman Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky365 and download the Sky365 App to start betting today!