Pakistan star batter Babar Azam opened up about his ambitions, inspirations, and career highs during a wide-ranging conversation on Kevin Pietersen’s popular YouTube show The Switch.
Pietersen, who frequently hosts some of the biggest names in world cricket, brought Babar to Saudi Arabia’s NOA Resort for a relaxed but revealing chat.
Babar spoke with unusual clarity about his ultimate goal as a cricketer: winning a World Cup for Pakistan. Reflecting on the team’s recent heartbreaks, he said,
I want to win the World Cup for Pakistan. We reached the finals of the T20 World Cup and the Asia Cup but couldn’t win. I just want to lift the trophy.
He added that chasing an ICC title remains the driving force behind his training: “That’s why I’m working hard for my fitness and everything.”
Among the many highs in his career, Babar highlighted one moment above all: Pakistan’s historic victory over India at the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai.
He called it unforgettable: “For me, one of the best. First time as a Pakistani captain, I beat India in the World Cup.”
Pietersen agreed, noting how India–Pakistan remains “the biggest sporting event in the world,” even bigger, he said, than most global finals.
The interview also produced one of the funniest exchanges of the episode. When Pietersen asked Babar which players he idolized growing up, the Pakistan star immediately replied that AB de Villiers was his all-time favorite. KP then cheekily asked if he’s second or third on that list.
Babar didn’t miss a beat: “No, sixth,” he said with a smile, leaving Pietersen laughing and calling it “a tough answer!”
Babar also recalled being a ball boy during a Pakistan–South Africa Test and freezing when he first saw AB walk out to bat: “I just stopped and stared. My idol is here.”
Babar Azam admitted the expectations on him in Pakistan can be overwhelming: “Babar comes out, Babar has to make 100. I’m a human being. Sometimes you have mistakes… failures.”
He shared how he deals with criticism and lean patches: “Main thing is the focus. I stop listening to anyone. I talk to myself, to my coaches.”
During the discussion, Babar traced his rise from playing cricket under street lights with cousins to earning a spot at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore to seeking advice from greats such as Joe Root, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith.
He said conversations with senior players shaped his mindset: “How they focus… how many balls they play in the nets… same mindset in match and practice.”
Looking Ahead
At 30, Babar says he feels “still sharp, still young,” and determined to write the next chapter of his career. His vision is clear:
Win a World Cup. Lift a trophy for Pakistan. Everything else, the records, the runs, the fame, comes second.
Check out the full interview here: