In the 2023 World Cup match between Pakistan and Afghanistan held at Chepauk, the Men in Green won the coin toss and opted to bat first. Babar Azam, who had been struggling to find his form, exhibited his prowess by notching up a remarkable half-century.
He accumulated 74 runs from 92 deliveries on the spin-friendly pitch, contributing to his team’s total of 282 runs over 50 overs.
During his well-constructed innings, Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, displayed a heartwarming gesture towards Afghanistan’s veteran cricketer, Mohammed Nabi.
In the midst of his innings, Babar took a moment to bend down and tie his shoelaces at the non-striker’s end. While doing so, Nabi, who was in the midst of an excellent bowling spell, approached the Pakistani captain and offered to assist in tying the laces.
Babar Azam didn’t let Mohd Nabi tie his shoe lace. #AFGvPAK pic.twitter.com/d0DqifgxGy
— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952_) October 23, 2023
Babar, however, politely declined Nabi’s offer, turning away from him despite Nabi’s insistence. This prompted a warm smile from Nabi, who then patted Babar on the back in a sign of mutual respect.