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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

June 29, 2019

Gulbadin Naib

Headingley, Leeds, England, UK

Pakistan - 230/7 (49.4), Afghanistan - 227/9 (50)

THE MODERATOR: We've got the captain, Gulbadin Naib. Questions?

Q. Gulbadin, you were so close to winning there. Was it pressure, lack of experience? Why do you think ultimately you lost that match?
GULBADIN NAIB: Not pressure. Pressure on the Pakistan side. But they did really well. We had bad luck. With Hamid Hassan (injury), he's our main bowler. The wicket is really slow. It's not supporting, especially medium pacers like me, it's not that much for them. But the bad luck is that Hamid was unfit, so if he was still in the end, so maybe it would be really difficult for them. I think the main turning point is Hamid. He bowled two overs, and after he has a hamstring injury and then he goes off. He was still in the game in the end, he fights still in the end. And the pressure would still be on the Pakistan side. But credit goes to them, how they played and how they finished the game. So from my side, the turning point is the middle. So we missed him in the end.

Q. As you said, it's very close, but throughout the game the fans from both sides were fighting and everything. Would you advise the fans to play with a little more within the spirit of the game and everything, because it got a little over the top.
GULBADIN NAIB: Actually, everyone, they love their players, they love their heroes. They also want to meet everyone. So they're not teasing the players on the ground. So they don't want harm anyone. They just want to hug and touch. So for me it's nothing. So it's not good for them coming on the ground. So it's not -- also you can say discipline-wise it's not feeling good at the end. So they should be outside the playing area. So I'm saying that I think they love players. That's why they come on the ground.

Q. Your team lost a match, eight in a row and three times you were very close to win. What is the reason behind you, your team is weeping after the match of Pakistan? Is there any reason behind?
GULBADIN NAIB: Nothing special. If you look to why... today we lost the game very close. And also two other games against India, also against Sri Lanka, because we have a good opportunity to beat this kind of team. So, but one thing -- because the wicket is really slow, so I say again. So if Hamid is there until the end, it's a turning point for me, especially because until the end so if he bowled two, three overs, it's really difficult for them. The wicket was totally slow, totally slow. But because if you lose one bowler in the start of the innings, it's very difficult for, in this kind of total, defending, 220, 230, it's nothing with this kind of team, Pakistan. They play really good cricket the last couple of games. But one time we are really close, really close to beat them. But, and also how Imad returned to take the strike and how he controls his nerves on the wicket. So credit goes to Imad's innings. He played brilliantly.

Q. Do you feel let down, the behaviour of some of the spectators outside, literally hurting fellow cricketers from Pakistan? Do you feel let down by them?
GULBADIN NAIB: No, no, especially I see -- they love -- I love this kind of audience to cause the cheering, both sides. So also our fans, they were watching very closely. But from my side, I think they love players because it's really difficult to reach them anywhere because everyone have their dream players and they're watching them in these kind of matches. So they're really excited to meet them and to hug them. But it's not good to come in the ground, to teasing the players or teasing the ground staff and other staff. But I think it's nothing special from my side.

Q. It seems that you're probably not aware that there was some serious conflict between spectators from fans from both teams. You're probably not aware that maybe punches were thrown. So basically I'm saying that perhaps you can give a message of peace to fans of both nations. And how is that in the middle? How is that in the middle?
GULBADIN NAIB: That atmosphere was pretty good between --we're here for, like, leave a good impression of my team and also my country. So if you look at my country, so there's not good going on, like, in the last 40, 45 years. But we're here to show to the world, so we want like friendship to anyone. And we are really excited to play this kind of tournament or this kind of match with any one team. And also, of course, to all the audience who behind the scenes to watching this kind of matches, so this is only a cricket game. Just watch the cricket game. It's a sports. But I'm not going the other way. I'm just playing for my country and cricket and nothing else. Just if I'm playing my cricket, still how -- but if I'm not then I support my team back home. But it goes to all audiences who are watching matches, please just watch like a sports, not like other. It's really good.

Q. When you bowled the 46th over, Sami was left also, you could have gone with spinners, but you brought yourself on. What was the thought process? What was the planning at that time?
GULBADIN NAIB: We had the feeling they were targeting not every bowler. So every team have their plans so I think the crucial point is for the 46th over that I bowled, so 18 runs -- it's not really good. Because I said if Hamid was there, so maybe I didn't bowl more than three or four overs, because I have not that much enough speed of this kind of surface.

Q. But do you think Sami could bowl that?
GULBADIN NAIB: Yeah, he could have -- he bowled really well, but later times, last seven matches continuing. So I feel better than Sami. But I suppose I have Hamid on the ground on my side, so especially from my side, I didn't, maybe I didn't bowl more than three or four overs. And also we have option for Sami. But Sami bowled really well. But if you have this kind of total, so you should be have good bowler until the end. So they will be bowled like good relations. So Hamid. I think it was better Hamid in the side.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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