November 22, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 11, 1428

JAIPUR, Nov 21: Despite the 2-3 reversal in the one-day series, Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar believes his team can give India a run for its money in the three-Test series starting in Delhi on Thursday.

The flamboyant paceman said the hosts were the better outfit in the ODI rubber, but Pakistan would make every effort to tame the home team in the longer form of the game.

”Our bowlers and batsmen did not click as much as the Indians. India played better cricket than us,” the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ said in a chat with Indian press here on Wednesday.

“Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq would be the cornerstones of Pakistan batting in the upcoming series. Even our captain (Malik) got his form back in the final ODI,” he said.

The bowling also has a strong look to it, Akhtar felt. “The return of pacer Mohammad Sami and spinner Danish Kaneria is definitely going to strengthen our bowling attack in the Test matches, not to forget myself,” he stated.

The Indian team included some of the best players in the world, but Akhtar believed it could be beaten.

“We will leave no stones unturned to win the Test series and despite the fact that they (India) have the world class trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid and a bowler like Anil Kumble, we will play to our potential.”

Indian speedster S. Sreesanth’s aggressive on-field demeanour has been the topic of much discussion, but Akhtar said such antics helped a paceman get wickets.

“I think, especially for a fast bowler, it is very necessary to put psychological pressure on the batsmen. Some batsmen get carried away with such things while some play their natural game.”

“But I think aggression is a must for a bowler and a bit of such antics as well as line and length definitely helps him,” he said.

The maverick pacer also denied that he had expressed a desire to meet popular Indian filmstar Sanjay Dutt in Pune’s Yerwada jail.

“I have never said I wanted to meet him. I am surprised with this news from the day we landed in India. I respect him as a filmstar and have watched some of his movies. But I never asked for any meeting. It is an imagination of the media,” he said.

—Agencies