JOHANNESBURG, Sept 16: Pakistan team manager Talat Ali has urged all team members to try and overcome their anxiety when playing against Sri Lanka in the first Super Eights match of the Twenty20 World Championship at the Wanderers Stadium on Monday.

“My only advice to all the team members is not to feel worried or tense and take it easy, which is the only solution to exhibit a fine show,” he said.

Talat said the team despite its surprising loss to India in the bowl out, is fully composed and has shown approach and application in all the training sessions after reaching Johannesburg.

“The only key to success is to keep your head down and do not feel excitement or pressure because when a team is under pressure, it commits mistakes bringing adverse impact to its overall showing,” he added.

The match against India in Durban, according to Talat, was like a victory that slipped out of our hands. The players were not expecting that to happen.

“We have made efforts to infuse a new confidence in them [the players] while explaining to them that Twenty20 is too demanding because most of them have little experience of this fast version of the game,” he said.

Talat is confident that the team is fully charged up for taking on new challenges like playing Sri Lanka and Australia without any break.

“In such a situation, we should be totally focused on the job and not attempt any hurried shots,” he asserted.

“I have seen a higher level of confidence and spirit among the boys, who are united in showing that they can still be the best in the world in countering pressure against any team,” he said.

The Sri Lankan team, according to the Pakistan manager, has a strong batting line up and some of its batsmen including Sanath Jayasuriya are in top form. Our bowlers will have to make a determined effort to stop their advance.

“I am not putting all the responsibility or work load on the bowlers. Our batsmen too should realise what is expected of them besides we also need a better approach in fielding to restrict our opponents to reachable targets,” he said.—APP