Pakistan legends Javed Miandad and Misbah ul Haq on Tuesday defended Babar Azam, saying the captain should not be squarely blamed for the below-par performance in the just-concluded Asia Cup as cricket is a team game. Talking to the media here at a match of the 40`s Global Cricket Event, Miandad and Misbah both advised the country`s cricket authorities to not press the panic button. "Why blame Babar Azam only when the rest of the team didn`t perform as well in the Asia Cup matches against India and Sri Lanka," Miandad said. Both the stalwarts, who have played World Cups in India, also advised the players to not let the thought of playing the mega-event in India affect them psychologically.

"Look our team is not as bad as it played in the Asia Cup. It has plenty of potential to do well in the World Cup. Only thing is how quickly our players cope and adjust to playing in Indian conditions before big crowds and in a country where they will encounter some hostility," Miandad said. The veteran batsman, who had three tenures as Pakistan coach, said the players need to learn from their performance in the Asia Cup and plan ahead for the World Cup.