Canada's Aaron Johnson reacts to their ICC T20 Cricket World Cup defeat to Pakistan. Canada posted 106 for 3 with Pakistan reaching the target with 7 wickets and 15 balls to spare
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, USA
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, USA
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00:00Hi Aaron, well played today. James Coyne from the Cricketer Magazine, well played.
00:07Where does that rank in terms of your career to go out there against such a high quality attack and play like that?
00:12I think it's my best in it so far in international cricket.
00:16Growing up, you know that Pakistan, one thing they have is quality fastballing attack.
00:22To be able to get a decent total on the board for my team, I think that's up there with the top two best in it for me.
00:31Did you think that they maybe overstretched slightly, were they bowling a bit too full and did you think that was your chance to just play your natural game?
00:38Definitely, you know if it's in my area, my teammates, my coach, they give me the license to bat myself and play my shots.
00:45So once I get going, I knew that they would pull the length back because they saw that I'm scoring.
00:50So it's just a matter of me batting as long as possible for the team.
00:53Last one from me, were you just, obviously in the other game, Nicholas Curtin and Mov were put on a good partnership,
00:58were you just missing that partnership to stretch Pakistan a bit further?
01:02100% and once they keep taking wickets, we were under pressure and unfortunately for us, you know,
01:07the run out, the mix up between myself and Curtin cost us, that's a crucial moment for us and I think that's where they really got back in the game.
01:15Aaron Zizedi with Crick Exec, while it may be tough to know you're not going to advance,
01:22obviously you can be proud that you've won a match at this tournament and you've held your own against one of the top sides in the world.
01:31How do you think this performance in the tournament is going to impact the sport of cricket in Canada?
01:38Do you think it's going to help with the fan base, help grow the sport, help energize sort of the grassroots of cricket
01:44and can Canada build from here to get even stronger over time?
01:48One would hope that it would help to push cricket in Canada further and the fact that you are asking us these questions
01:54to show that it's big volume that we have represented ourselves very well, I think.
01:59And yes, we would have liked to win one or two more games if luck went our way,
02:03but I'm pretty sure that the cricket world has some amount of respect for us at this point.
02:14Canada and Pakistan are on the same boat as both have won the first match.
02:18Do you think this was the best chance for Canada against Pakistan after they lost the first two matches?
02:22What was the strategy and what went wrong actually?
02:25And secondly, you played a lovely innings, as you said, you played the best innings of your career.
02:31How does the pitch conclude today's match?
02:35As you said, the best chance against Pakistan.
02:37I think once we prepare well and we represent ourselves well, we give ourselves the best chance against any opponent.
02:42Yes, the wicket, I wouldn't say it's the best surface, it's a tricky surface,
02:48but when T20 cricket started, 120-130 was good totals on wickets because you have flat belters.
02:55That's the reason people are getting 200.
02:57I think if you have a surface like this, it evens the playing field and we fancy a chance against any opponent, not only Pakistan.
03:07Johnson, this is Farrukh Siddiqui from Sports Trend Canada.
03:10Well played today.
03:12I am just wondering, when you have a very explosive player sitting on the bench,
03:17do you think soon in the next games you'll see Ryan Pathan opening with you or maybe at number three?
03:23I'll leave that up to the coach and the captain to make that decision.
03:25I can't do that.
03:28Hi, this is Siddharth from Cricket Info.
03:32You must have seen this pitch, the scores that people were getting, the amount of movement.
03:37Did that play, I mean, did that have any impact on how you went in, just the outlook that you went in with?
03:45No, again, if the ball is full, if it's too short, if you have a width, it evens everything out, so you play shots.
03:53Of course, you have to play proper cricket shots and wickets like these.
03:56And we knew that as a team, we knew that 130, 140 was an excellent total.
04:00Unfortunately, we couldn't get there, but hopefully in the next game we'll be able to get a competitive total.
04:07Aaron, Philip Spooner here.
04:09Well played.
04:11Early in the year, you had the opportunity to spend some time with Carlos Brathwaite in Toronto.
04:17Tell us a little bit about that and some of the inspirational messages he gave you.
04:22And then, is it Chris Gayle or is it Andre Russell who you model yourself off of?
04:26Because today's hitting looked quite a bit like your Jamaican counterparts.
04:30You know, I'm here representing the Canadian national team.
04:33As you say, my fellow West Indians, Carlos, Chris Gayle and these guys.
04:36Last game we won, I got a personal message from Russell.
04:40We were very good friends.
04:41Chris Gayle and these guys, they would text you sometimes just to like some of the posts that you make.
04:47Carlos, after the last game.
04:50So, yes, I get some amount of inspiration from them.
04:52And one thing Carlos did say to me when we met about two, three weeks ago in Toronto is just relish the opportunity.
05:00Express yourself.
05:01You know, someone like you can change the game for your team.
05:04So, don't stress too much.
05:05Don't think too much about it.
05:07Just react to what you see.
05:08And what's it like, you know, to be a friend of those guys?
05:11I mean, these guys have won the World Cup twice and they do it all.
05:14You know, what's it like?
05:15You know, does it give you bragging points?
05:18I wouldn't say bragging points because when we sit and we are, you know, having some food or having a drink,
05:23they would say that just to be able to be themselves around you.
05:28And, you know, when you have so many cameras, you have to be on your best behavior.
05:32Sometimes being around them, you can't enjoy yourself.
05:37Hi, Timothy Abraham from BBC Sport.
05:39Obviously, India next.
05:41How do you approach that game?
05:42And is it an intimidating prospect facing their bowling attack?
05:48Again, as I say, it's a ball.
05:50The ball is very round.
05:51The moment you walk on the field, anyone can win.
05:53Yes, you have to have respect for these guys.
05:55They have been doing it for years.
05:56There are some of them like someone like Baba today.
05:58He's a legend.
05:59I'm pretty sure he will be a legend of the game, right?
06:01And, you know, hopefully we get to play against Coley, Roy, all of these guys.
06:06The list goes on and on.
06:08And you have to respect them.
06:09You have to respect them.
06:10But at the end of the day, you have to know that you're a professional cricketer also.
06:13And if they did it, you can do it also.
06:15So it's about respecting them but also respecting yourself.
06:18Jasprit Bunmore in particular has obviously had a great tournament so far.
06:22I mean, how is a batter?
06:23Do you look to counter someone of his kind of quality?
06:27Well, the question I've been asking is how is the pitching in Florida?
06:31Because if it's anything like this, it will be difficult.
06:34But hopefully it's a good surface.
06:36And as again I say, I just want to represent the national team with the best of my ability
06:41and inspire some youths.
06:45Hi.
06:46Muhammad Naveed, HW Sports.
06:48My question is how was the experience and what did you learn by playing against Pakistan teams?
06:59It was a good experience.
07:01One thing I learned, if you're going to score runs, you have to bat very, very hard.
07:05You have to focus.
07:06Because again, you know, these guys, just imagine I bat to Shaheen Shah and then Baba
07:12signal to Amir to come and bowl.
07:15And you're thinking to yourself, like, I remember when I was playing cricket in England,
07:19these guys were playing for Pakistan international team.
07:21I went to the ground to watch them play.
07:23So to be playing against them, it's a wonderful experience.
07:28Om Prakash Mundra from Navabharat, India.
07:31Congratulations.
07:32You really played very good shots today and had good success.
07:35But just I'm asking you, if some opportunity is given to play more T20 games, I think Canada
07:42can play better, just like Afghanistan got good opportunity to play in IPL.
07:47If an opportunity is given, will you like to play in the IPL next year?
07:52I would love to.
07:53That would be another dream come true.
07:54Playing in the World Cup was one that came true now.
07:57And playing in the IPL and all the leagues around the world would be clearly a dream
08:02come true.
08:03But we have to just keep our focus on one game at a time here.
08:08Can I just ask, Aaron, who did you play for in England?
08:10I played about three clubs.
08:12I played for Shepherds Bush.
08:13I played for Gravesend in Kent.
08:14I didn't play for Upchurch in Kent.
08:16Thanks.
08:18Thank you for attending the press conference.
08:20We'll have Shreyas Mova in the mixed zone.