TimesofIndia.com in Dubai: A sizable crowd had gathered outside the ICC Academy in Dubai on Friday when the Pakistan cricket team arrived for their first training session since landing in the city a day prior. Amid the chants of “Babar, Babar, King Babar, humara King Babar”, the players rushed into the facility without even acknowledging the presence of the fans who were screaming their lungs out for autographs and selfies. The dash of players left many disappointed, and some were even in tears, but the team seemed focussed on the job at hand.
They had very little time to get used to the conditions in Dubai which are very different from what they are getting back home in Pakistan for the ongoing Champions Trophy. Since Saturday would be more about getting used to the ring of fire at the Dubai International Stadium, Friday’s session was critical for the host nation to tick the crucial boxes before the big game. Just when the players finished their warm-up drills and headed to the change room to put on their respective gear, they were greeted by a familiar face.
Former Pakistan cricketer Mudassar Nazar got everyone in a circle of sorts and had a long chat before the players got down to business in the middle. Nazar is not just a former cricketer but someone who is familiar with the local conditions in Dubai. Having worked with the ICC Academy in Dubai and even as the interim coach of the UAE cricket team, including the U-19 batches for some tournaments, the former opener was the ideal man to be around the Pakistan players for what was going to be their only full-throttle session ahead of the India clash.
The 68-year-old, who has been Pakistan’s coach and served the country’s cricket board in various capacities, had plenty of one-on-one interactions with the players during their session under lights. While most of the batters were part of the group which patiently listened to the veteran, the bowlers received some pep talk after they were done with their batting sessions. Nazar has camped in Dubai for a very long time and his tenure even overlapped with current Pakistan coach Aaqib Javed who was in charge of UAE’s team from 2012 to 2016.
Both Nazar and Javed are tactically very shrewd and aware of the conditions in this part of the world. It now remains to be seen whether the team can benefit from their inputs and stay alive in the multi-nation tournament. They have had success against India in Dubai and pacer Haris Rauf is confident that the side will improve the tally to three wins.
“We have beaten India twice here in Dubai. We will aim to make it three and repeat those performances. We are confident, and it will be a great match,” said Harris Rauf ahead of the team’s training session.
Pakistan lost their tournament opener versus New Zealand on February 19 but Rauf assured that the team will “address the mistakes” before the must-win clash vs India.
“What’s past is past. We are now focusing on the India game. We will address the mistakes we made in the previous game and try not to repeat them. For us, it’s an important fixture; a do-or-die game. We need to win this to stand a chance of qualifying for the semifinals,” said Rauf.
After spending over three hours at the global cricket body’s training facility, the players left their kit bags with the logistics team and had a quick bite before boarding the team bus. There were plenty still waiting for a glimpse of their heroes when they exited the venue in small batches and this time Babar Azam didn’t disappoint them and patiently signed autographs, posed for selfies. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan followed suit before the entire team made their way to the team hotel.
