“There is no pressure of anything” - Babar Azam reveals Pakistan team’s mindset ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has revealed the team’s dressing room mindset ahead of the start of the opener against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to start on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.

Notably, this will be the first ICC tournament played on home soil for Pakistan since 1996. Importantly, Pakistan are entering the showpiece tournament as the defending champions after defeating India in CT 2017 final in England.

“As a player, I am very excited, and all the fans are excited. A lot has changed since the Champions Trophy was held in 2017. We have new players coming, we only have three or four players who were part of that winning team. But the belief, confidence and execution are the same,” Babar Azam said.

Pakistan are coming into the eight-team ICC event after losing to New Zealand twice in the tri-series held at home. While Pakistan suffered a loss in the first game of the tri-series vs NZ, they bagged another defeat in the final of the ODI tri-series.

Nevertheless, Babar Azam has refused to accept the instability and adversity this team has faced as an excuse during the ICC mega event.

"There is no pressure of anything. What has happened in the past is beyond us. We have discussed mistakes we have made and we have worked on them. When you have responsibility as a senior player in any team and the team relies on you and has belief in you, then I take it in a positive way,” he added.

Pakistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025: 

Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

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