The third and final One Day International (ODI) match of the series between Pakistan and Afghanistan cricket teams will be played this week in Colombo. Pakistan is leading the series with a 2-0 advantage. In the third match, Pakistan is poised to claim the top position in the ICC ODI rankings if victorious. National team captain Babar Azam, acknowledging the performance of fast bowler Naseem Shah in the second ODI, stated that Naseem Shah is a player for difficult times; whenever the situation gets tough, he delivers his best performance.
However, Babar Azam attributed the victory to the entire team, emphasizing that every player performed well. He remarked that a target of 300 is never small. When the chase began, the thought was to build a substantial partnership. There were ups and downs, but it was believed that even in the last 10 overs, 80 to 90 runs could be achieved. Meanwhile, Vice-Captain Shadab Khan mentioned that Naseem Shah has been preserved for pressure situations, and he is a better player in such circumstances due to his confidence.
After winning the second ODI, in a conversation with the media, Babar Azam expressed that there is an effort not to abandon the team in challenging situations. He recalled the Zimbabwe tour when he had the same feeling. Just like in Zimbabwe, he tries not to leave the team in such tough circumstances.
