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| September 11, 2002 | Wednesday | Rajab 3, 1423 |
Pakistan aim to overcome dismal form
COLOMBO, Sept 10: Pakistan aim to reverse their recent inconsistent performances and go all the way in the ICC Champions Trophy tournament starting Thursday.
“We have had our bad patch and hopefully we will get out of it here,” skipper Waqar Younis told reporters Tuesday.
Pakistan have arrived for the prestigious 12-nation event in Colombo after struggling in two tri-series events in Africa.
They failed to reach the final of the first tournament in Morocco where Sri Lanka beat South Africa for the title.
Last week in Nairobi, they barely nudged ahead of lowly Kenya and only emerged joint winners after rain forced the final to be abandoned with world champions Australia calling the shots.
Waqar admitted his side would have to vastly improve its batting and fast bowlers led by him needed to strike a better rhythm ahead of their tournament opener against the hosts.
Pakistan’s batting in particular was poor, and Waqar said: “This time we need to give the bowlers enough runs on the board.”
Coach Mudassar Nazar hinted the struggling opening pair of Saeed Anwar and young Imran Nazir could be split to try to shore up the top order.
However, despite some indifferent form, team manager Yawar Saeed insisted his side would still be no pushovers.
Finalists at the 1999 World Cup, Pakistan are always regarded as dangerous opponents, but have often been criticised for their inconsistency.
But Yawar said some of flak may not be justified because his side’s success rate of over 66 percent was the best in 2002.
The format for the Champions Trophy this time has been changed to league-cum-knock-out after the first two editions in 1998 and 2000 were knock-out only.
But Waqar felt it would hardly make any difference because one team in each group was weaker than the other two.
“It is more or less a knock-out system. But it will give the fresher sides a chance to improve.”
Waqar felt the pressure would be on Sri Lanka when they clash Thursday.
“They are playing at home. It is the first game and it will be very vital, more important for Sri Lanka to win.”
Pakistan tearaway paceman Shoaib Akhtar says he has had enough of chasing speed records and now wants to get down to doing his main job of taking wickets consistently.
“Basically, I am no longer interested in bowling faster,” the player dubbed the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ said Tuesday.
The 27-year-old along with Australia’s Brett Lee are currently regarded the fastest bowlers in the world and will aim to make their impact on the ICC Champions Trophy.
Shoaib said: “It is more important to win matches. I am just here to play the game, not to prove how fast I am. Now I need to focus on how well to manage myself.”
“I have already crossed 100 miles, whether it is accepted or not,” he said. “Everybody knows how fast I am.”
The bowler was clocked at 161 kph (100.04 mph), during a one-dayer against New Zealand in Lahore in April but as such feats are not officially monitored, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said they must remain unofficial.
Shoaib had been competing with Lee to reach the 100 mph landmark. Lee was clocked at 99.4 mph in South Africa this year, just under the second fastest delivery of 99.8 clocked by Australia’s Jeff Thomson in 1976.—Reuters
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