'Don't play for personal milestones': Shoaib Athkar's advice to Babar Azam's Pakistan ahead of India T20 World Cup 2024 clash sparks controversy

Pakistan legendary speedster gives advice to Babar Azam-led Pakistan ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024  clash against Pakistan. He urged the players to play for the nation instead of going for personal milestones. India and Pakistan will lock horns against each other for the match 19 of the ongoing World Cup which will take place at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. 

Pakistan are coming after losing their opening clash against the United States. The game against India is important for Pakistan as a loss against arch-rivals could see them lose out on a spot in the Super 8 of the tournament with the USA being better poised than the Babar Azam & Co.

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Shoaib Akhtar's advice to Pakistan Cricket team

"Hey guys, me Shoaib Akhtar and I am going to the Pre-Match analysis studio. Guys, I am at the Pakistan Team Millet. "For God's sake, today for my own good, for the country's sake. Play out of your skin and go and please don't play for personal milestones. I don't remember personal milestones. I remember Mohammad Zahid' six. I remember my Kolkata wicket. I remember the Champions Trophy. I remember the 2009 World Cup. People always personal milestone. You remember the match you won against Pakistan. Today, play for each other. Play for Pakistan. Play for the morale of Pakistan. Look at the whole of Pakistan. Boost Pakistan's morale. Pick up Pakistan. And win. You burn your bridges. Now you have to swim out of this whole mess. Do this. I'm with you" said Akhtar in a video. 

 

 

Soon after the video, fans started targeting Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan for playing for the milestones. Here are the viral reactions. 

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India will be confident while facing Pakistan because Rohit Sharma & Co. won their first clash against Ireland. Men in Blue also hold the advantage because they have already played at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium during their last outings against Ireland and Bangladesh. 

 

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal

 

Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, Abbas Afridi

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