Hyderabad, September 29: The Pakistan cricket team led by Babar Azam reached India on September 27, marking a historic moment in cricket diplomacy. The occasion was none other than the much-awaited ICC World Cup 2023, hosted by India after a gap of seven years since the Pakistan men’s cricket team toured the country. The adrenaline-pumping tournament is scheduled to begin on October 5 and conclude on November 19.
As soon as the Pakistani contingent landed in Hyderabad city, theyf were given a warm welcome at the Hyderabad airport. A group of enthusiastic fans, though restrained by the diligent officials, burst into joy and poured their praises on none other than captain Babar Azam. There was a festive atmosphere in Hyderabad city upon the arrival of the Pakistanis, full of excitement and anticipation.
A warm welcome in Hyderabad as we land on Indian shores 👏#WeHaveWeWill | #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/poyWmFYIwK
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— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 27, 2023
The 2023 ICC World Cup, to be held between October 5 and November 19, has been a long-awaited event for cricket fans around the world. Pakistan team captain Babar Azam shared his feelings about the warm welcome in Hyderabad on social media, saying, “I am overwhelmed by the love and support I have received in Hyderabad.”
Before his arrival, Babar Azam stressed that his primary aim is not just to achieve a top-four finish; His goal is no less than winning the World Cup. He said during a press conference, “The top four is a modest objective for us. We aspire to emerge as champions. Our preparation time was limited because our players were busy with continuous cricket commitments. Therefore, we gave them “Decided to give it a good chance.” -Deserves a break to come back with fresh enthusiasm and hunger to win. A player performs at his best when that hunger is burning within him.”
Amazing reception from the people here. Everything was super smooth. Looking forward to the next 1.5 months 😇
— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) September 27, 2023
In preparation for the World Cup, Pakistan is scheduled to feature in a warm-up match against New Zealand, which will be played behind closed doors in Hyderabad on September 29. This will serve as an important tune-up opportunity for the ‘Men in Green’ to hone their skills and strategies ahead of the official start of the World Cup campaign. Pakistan’s opening match in the tournament will be against the Netherlands on October 6 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, marking the beginning of an exciting cricket spectacle. Also Pakistan team starts practice on the stadium.
Diving into the training session in Hyderabad with a purpose 💪🏏#WeHaveWeWill | #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/ZzDdMNBDWN
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 28, 2023
