The T20 World Cup 2022 is an opportunity for the Pakistan cricket team to set the nation alight and alive again with their performances, believes the team’s mentor Matthew Hayden.
Speaking to the media at MCG after a practice session, the former Australian cricketer said that the T20 World Cup final on Sunday between Pakistan and England will be a contest between quality bowling and quality batting. “It’s a very emotional campaign,” he said about Pakistan.
“When it comes to these huge tournaments, we know what it means. It means the opportunity to lift the World Cup [trophy], it means the opportunity to set nations alight and alive again, reinvigorate a nation through its national team’s performance,” he said.
Hayden also highlighted the team bonding and how players treat each other on and off the field. “A beautiful metaphor for this team that really, at its heart has got raw talent, mixed with the passion of a nation that loves the game,” he said.
“The highs have been really solid in this tournament for Pakistan. I think there’s been some really key performances. For me, the other day, it was off the field when Babar was throwing in warm up balls to Rizwan. To me, that’s very reflective of a culture that’s working, hoping that and building that commonality. I think that’s a beautiful moment,” he said.
Speaking about Ramiz Raja’s pep-talk to the players at the net sessions ahead of the final of ICC T20 World Cup 2022, Matthew Hayden said that Ramiz was reliving some memories of the 1992 World Cup.
He added that the current lot of players will have similar opportunities in their life. “It’ll be an important chapter of Pakistan cricket as the ‘92 campaign was the emergence of another superpower. And, one of the most influential cricketers of all time, Imran Khan, is doing great things. Celebrating democracy is an important part of life, and he’s doing that like a champion,” the mentor of the Men in green said.—INP
