London: Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam met King Charles III during a special reception for the Pakistan national cricket team at Clarence House in London on Wednesday, September 2. The meeting was attended by members of the Pakistan squad, coaching staff and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
During the royal engagement, Babar Azam presented King Charles with a cricket bat signed by members of the Pakistan team as a special gift. The monarch accepted the bat and spoke with the Pakistani players during the gathering.
King Charles also showed interest in the bat and asked whether it was made from Pakistani willow, with Babar responding affirmatively. The interaction provided a light moment during Pakistan’s difficult ongoing tour of England.
Several Pakistan players, including Shan Masood, Mohammad Abbas, Abdullah Shafique, Azan Awais, Sajid Khan and Mohammad Ali, attended the event alongside Babar. White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Director High-Performance Centre Aaqib Javed were also present.
The meeting came at a challenging time for Pakistan cricket. England have already secured a 2-0 lead in the three-Test series after comprehensive victories in the opening two matches. Pakistan lost the first Test by an innings and 103 runs before suffering a 194-run defeat at Lord’s.
The Pakistan team is now preparing for the third and final Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, scheduled to begin on September 9. The team will aim to avoid a 3-0 series sweep after major changes were made to the squad and coaching setup.
Babar later spoke positively about the royal encounter, with reports quoting him as saying that it was great to meet the “real king.”
