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Pakistan‘s white-ball captain, Babar Azam, showcased his compassionate side during the T20 World Cup 2024 encounter against Canada at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Babar displayed a touching act of kindness towards a child mascot of the tournament, who is an ardent fan of the Men in Green skipper.
Babar Azam’s heartwarming gesture: Comforting a young fan
In a heartwarming moment captured by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Instagram, Babar was seen consoling the young fan, who was visibly emotional. The Lahore-born cricketer’s gesture of empathy towards the child mascot garnered widespread admiration, further solidifying his reputation as a role model both on and off the field.
Reliving a touching interaction
Reflecting on his interaction with the young fan, Babar, Speaking to Sanjana Ganesan, recalled their first encounter during the high-octane clash between Pakistan and India. Babar said that he got worried when he saw the kid crying after India and Pakistan’s anthems ahead of the clash.
“I met this kid during the Pakistan-India game. After the anthem, he came to me, He was excited and suddenly started crying. So I got worried. But he said I am a fan. He did the same thing today. He was crying, standing in the line. We all have experienced this, when you meet a star, the excitement is at a different level,” Babar said.
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A memorable gift and gratitude
Moved by the child’s unwavering support, Babar felt compelled to reciprocate the gesture of fandom. He generously gifted the young fan his gloves, a token of appreciation that elicited tears of joy from the grateful recipient. The 29-year-old’s act of kindness exemplified the profound impact athletes can have on their fans, transcending the boundaries of sport to create lasting memories of compassion and camaraderie.
“I thought if he is such a big fan of me, I have the responsiblity to gift him something. I had gloves in my hand, so I gave them to him. He became very excited and started crying. He asked me to sign the gloves,” Babar concluded.
Here’s the video:
Triumph amidst adversity
Pakistan faced early setbacks in the tournament, suffering defeats against the United States of America (USA) and India in their first two Group A matches. However, their match against Canada proved to be a turning point as they emerged victorious. Mohammad Rizwan‘s stellar unbeaten innings of 53, supported by Babar’s composed 33, guided the Men in Green to a convincing win by seven wickets. Earlier, the bowlers, led by Mohammad Amir and Haris Rauf, put in a commendable performance to restrict Canada to a modest total of 106/7.
Pakistan will play their final group stage match against Ireland at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Florida on June 16.
