'Make sure you give your hundred percent' - Pakistan captain Babar Azam sends strong message to team ahead of major tournaments 

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has issued a strong message to his team as they enter a busy schedule with the 2023 Asia Cup and ODI World Cup lined up. The Men in Green is set to take on Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka from Tuesday (August 22) which will be followed by the continental tournament starting on August 30.

The two competitions will be a huge preparation for Pakistan ahead of the 50-over World Cup and Babar feels his team is on the right track after the Test series win in Sri Lanka. "We enter this series with good momentum following our Test series win here and we are eager to build on it," Babar told PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) Digital ahead of the Afghanistan series.

Pakistan have named an 18-man squad to face Hashmatullah Shahidi's side, which features new recruit Tayyab Tahir and the return of Faheem Ashraf. Meanwhile, Saud Shakeel got an opportunity to showcase his skills in limited-overs cricket after his impressive performance in Tests. Talking about the new additions, Babar said that this is a good sign for the Pakistan cricket team ahead of major tournaments.

"We have a few new faces in the side and I wish them good luck for the challenges ahead. Most of the boys have been playing cricket in different leagues, but when you don the Pakistan star, it is a different feeling altogether. This is a great sign for Pakistan cricket that he groomed himself according to the demands of the team, and whenever anyone does that, I get very happy," he said.

We are focused in our preparations: Babar Azam

With the Asia Cup and World Cup around the corner, Pakistan are treating the Afghanistan series as an important preparation and the skipper hinted that their opponent is formidable. “We are focused in our preparations as we have big events in the Asia Cup and the World Cup coming up. The Afghanistan team is on the rise and they have some good bowlers," he added.

The 28-year-old also concluded with a strong message to his teammates ahead of the hectic schedule: "My message has always been to believe in yourself and make sure that you give your hundred percent in the field."