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| 08 September 2004 | Wednesday | 22 Rajab 1425 |
Youhana on a mission
ISLAMABAD, Sept 7: Pakistan's middle order batsman Yousuf Youhana hopes to erase the memory of his last major tournament in England by helping his side lift the ICC Champions Trophy.
Youhana missed the final of the 1999 World Cup with a hamstring injury and had to watch as Pakistan lost to Australia. "That was the worst time of my career, watching the World Cup final from the dressing room. I have to make amends. I want to be the Player-of-the Tournament. That's the task I have set myself," he said.
The Pakistan vice-captain has scored more than 5,700 runs in 171 one-day matches, including nine centuries. "Our key to success will be runs from the openers. The openers have to provide the platform for the middle-order batsmen to post winning scores.
"I know how difficult it is for me or skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq to come out before the 10th over. We not only have to stabilise the innings, we have to keep the scoreboard moving while keeping our wickets intact," Youhana added.
To achieve their goal, Pakistan will have to win a first round group game against arch-rivals India. But they have beaten twice recently, first at the Asia Cup and then during a tri-series in the Netherlands.
Pakistan again lost to Australia in the final of the latter tournament - reviving Youhana's memories of that painful day five years ago. "It still hurts inside. Although I was new to that level of the game then, I was in good form. "And when you are in such good nick, you just want to be out there stroking the ball," he added. -Agencies
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