National T20 great opportunity to prepare for T20 World Cup, says Babar Azam

Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam has said that the National T20 2021 is the best opportunity for the Pakistan cricket team to prepare for the T20 World Cup to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 17.

In a video message shared on the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) Twitter handle ahead of the tournament, Babar urged the UAE-bound squad to give their best.

He also requested fans to make the upcoming National T20 tournament successful by turning up in numbers to support the cricketers.

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“I want to request to the fans, especially in Rawalpindi, to turn up and make full use of the 25 per cent attendance,” the skipper said.

He continued, “I know there is a real disappointment after the setback last weekend; this event provides us a real opportunity of proving to the world that we are passionate about cricket.”

The 24-year-old, who leads Central Punjab in domestic tournaments, said his side was filled with experienced players and hoped to lead them to the event’s final.

“We have a richly experienced side that is full of international stars, and my aim is to lead Central Punjab to the title and improve on our performances in the last two seasons,” he added.

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The National T20 was originally scheduled to start from September 30 in Multan. However, the PCB revised its schedule and moved the tournament to Rawalpindi to fill the void created by New Zealand’s departure.

The star-studded tournament starts tomorrow with the first leg, consisting of 18 matches, scheduled till October 3 at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. The second leg of 15 matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium from October 6 to 13.