Cricket: Pakistani skipper Babar Azam revealed in an exclusive interview with ICC Digital Insider Zainab Abbas, the reason behind his public message of support to his Indian counterpart, Virat Kohli, during a difficult phase last year. The tweet, posted in July, came at a time when Kohli was going through an extended lean patch in his career, both in the ODI and Test formats.
Speaking about his decision to back Kohli, Azam said, “As a sportsperson, anyone can go through such a time. At that time, I thought maybe if I tweet it might give someone help and confidence. See, as a player, you try to back every sportsman in a difficult time.”
Babar Azam also expressed his belief in the mutual empathy shared by athletes, irrespective of nationalities or rivalries. “It is in difficult times when you get to know what you are thinking about others. At that time, I thought I should have done that, and maybe something positive will come out of it. Something which can be a plus point,” he added.
Kohli, who acknowledged Azam’s message on Twitter, went on to hit a purple patch of form, hitting several ODI and T20 hundreds and leading India to a memorable victory over Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. Reflecting on the significance of his gesture, Azam said, “It’s a reminder to everyone that at the end of the day, we are all sportsmen, and we should have empathy for each other.”
Babar Azam Message to Virat Kohli – a testament to the value of sportsmanship
The camaraderie and respect shared by players, irrespective of rivalries and nationalities, has been a cornerstone of cricketing culture. Babar Azam‘s message to Kohli is a testament to the values of sportsmanship, fair play, and compassion that the sport embodies.
Babar Azam expressions!!!!
“As a sportsperson, anyone can go through such a time. At that time, I thought maybe if I tweet it might give someone help and confidence. See, as a player, you try to back every sportsman in a difficult time.” – Babar Azam
“It is in difficult times when you get to know what you are thinking about others. At that time, I thought I should have done that, and maybe something positive will come out of it. Something which can be a plus point.” – Babar Azam
“It’s a reminder to everyone that at the end of the day, we are all sportsmen, and we should have empathy for each other.” – Babar Azam
