\u2018It\u2019s like home\u2019
\n AHMEDABAD
\nPakistan skipper Babar Azam said Wednesday his team \u201cwas not expecting\u201d the warm reception they have received in India, claiming that it felt like being in home country.
\nBabar and Co landed in Hyderabad under tight security last week for two warm-up matches before they kickstart their tournament against the Netherlands at the same venue on Friday.
\n\u201cI think the hospitality was nice \u2014 we were not expecting this, but I think the way people are responding towards our team, everyone enjoyed it,\u201d Azam said during Captains\u2019 Day media event in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
\nPakistan will take on India at Ahmedabad\u2019s 132,000-capacity stadium on October 14.
\n\u201cWe are a week in Hyderabad so it is not like we are in India, it is like we are home. I think it\u2019s a golden opportunity for everyone to give their 100% and enjoy the tournament.\u201d
\nIndia and Pakistan are bitter adversaries with longstanding political tensions.
\nThe teams only play cricket against each other in international tournaments.
\nPakistan last toured India for the 2016 T20 World Cup and for nearly all the players it\u2019s a first trip to Indian shores.
\n\u201cThe moment we landed in Hyderabad, the way people welcomed us from the airport to the hotel and even on the ground in the last (warm-up) match, we felt good,\u201d said Azam.
\nBut he added: \u201cIt would have been better if we had fans from our side. We will hope to get such support in every match, in every stadium, in every match.\u201d
\nMany players at the World Cup have experience of Indian pitches due to their participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
\nPakistan players are banned from taking part.
\nHowever, Babar does not see this as a disadvantage in their World Cup planning.
\n\u201cThere is no pressure at all. The (India) conditions are similar to Pakistan and Asia,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s just that the boundaries are small here and the bowlers have little margin for error.
\n\u201cIt will big scoring and you will have to adapt to that. So we will have to play to the best of our ability and give our best shot.\u201d
\nAzam said his team\u00b4s bowling, led by pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, remains their \u201cstrength\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u2018It\u2019s like home\u2019 AHMEDABAD Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said Wednesday his team \u201cwas not expecting\u201d the warm reception they have received in India, claiming that it felt like being in home country. Babar and Co landed in Hyderabad under tight security last week for two warm-up matches before they kickstart their tournament against the Netherlands […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":360033,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-360011","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n