May 2, 2003	Friday	Safar 29, 1424

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LAHORE, May 1: Pakistan coach Javed Miandad has avoided making any prediction about the forthcoming three-nation tournament in Sri Lanka.

Talking to Dawn after the training camp concluded at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, Miandad said that victory and defeat are parts of the game, but what he wants to assure the nation was that the boys would give 100 per cent performance in the tournament.

Besides Pakistan and the hosts Sri Lanka, New Zealand is the third team of the May 10-23 tournament.

Miandad said that Sri Lanka as hosts are in a comfortable position and the real fight for the final will be, it seems,  between Pakistan and New Zealand.

He said that Sri Lankan had always proved themselves a strong bunch for the visiting teams.

“We will play every match with our true potential setting aside which side is ahead of us,” he said.

Miandad said that Pakistan also went for Sharjah Cup without much expectations of winning but returned with success.

The coach asserted that his side was passing through the rebuilding stage and it took time to produce positive results.

“The West Indies and Bangladesh teams are passing through this stage for a long time but the process could not be completed at yet. Similarly, India’s performance barring the World Cup is also towards downward,” Miandad noted.

He admitted that like Sharjah Cup, the tournament would also be a test case for his side. In fact, he added, all the forthcoming competitions would be test cases for him.

He claimed that his side was moving towards the right side.

“The boys are working hard and hard work never go wasted,” he said.

He said that all the players were fit and went home with the strict instructions to keep up the fitness exercises before they reassemble in Karachi on Sunday for their departure to Sri Lanka.