|
|
| June 5, 2002 | Wednesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 23,1423 |
Wasim hoping for memorable Australian farewell
KARACHI, June 4: Famed Pakistani pacer Wasim Akram packed his bags for Australia Tuesday hoping for a memorable last trip Down Under with the national team.
“Australia is a great place to tour and a great team to play against and I hope that I leave my last impression in an indelible manner,” Wasim said.
A 13-man Pakistan squad set off for Australia late Tuesday night for a three-match limited-over series starting next week.
The 36-year-old Wasim, with a record 456 wickets in limited-overs matches and 414 in Tests, last month announced he would hang up his boots after next year’s World Cup in South Africa.
“I have some fantastic memories of playing in Australia and top of them all is Pakistan’s win in the 1992 World Cup,” he said.
“It would be a totally different tour for me because nowadays I enjoy (playing) more than usual and strive to do my best for the team in a relaxed, pressureless manner.”
Wasim took 18 wickets to help Pakistan win their only World Cup 10 years ago.
“It (Australia) is the place where the most competitive cricket is played and people love and appreciate every good performance,” said Wasim, who led Pakistan to their only tri-series win Down Under in 1996-97.
Wasim also said Pakistan had every chance of beating the fancied Australians.
“We are a good side and have every chance to beat Australia because they now have a relatively less experienced middle-order batting in the absence of the Waugh brothers.”
Australia sacked Steve Waugh from their one-day squad for the recent tour of South Africa, where they took the Test series 2-1 and the seven-match one-day series 5-1.
Wasim said he was glad the Waughs would not be playing Pakistan.
“The Waugh brothers were among the top players of the world so it’s a relief that they are not there to bother you,” he said.
Wasim said the result of the series — two indoor matches and one outdoor game on June 12, 15 and 19 — would depend on how the teams perform under pressure.
“The result of this series would depend on how a team handles the pressure and it would decide the fate of the series because the two best teams in the world are competing.”
He agreed that the series was a good work-out for both teams ahead of the World Cup.
“This series would give a chance to both the teams to assess each other’s strength before the World Cup and a win for any team would do a world of good for the major event.”
Wasim led Pakistan during losing Test series in Australia in 1995-96 and 1999-2000 but said the results did not paint a clear picture of the encounters.
“Pakistan has played well in Australia but it’s the mental toughness of the Australians that carried the day for them in the end,” he said.—AFP
|
|
