LAHORE, April 8 Rejecting the impression that his team face a whitewash at the hands of a formidable Australia in the forthcoming limited-overs contest, coach Intikhab Alam on Wednesday asserted Pakistan would enter the field with an eye on series victory.

“Though the Australians are the world champions, it is a wrong impression that Pakistan is weak and could face a 5-0 thrashing,” Intikhab said here on Wednesday.

“We have chalked out an effective strategy against Australia and we will go with a positive frame of mind to win the series,” he vowed.

The series, comprising five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International, will be held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from April 22 to May 7.

The former Test captain added a tough fitness test of the players before the team selection (for the Australia series) was also a part of the strategy which showed actual fitness level of the players before a high-profile competition.

In fact, the Australians were coming to the UAE after playing enough international cricket, an area Pakistan clearly lacked, but hopefully it would not be a major drawback for Younis Khan and his troops, he added.

“We have played Test matches against Sri Lanka recently after a big gap of 14 months, but even then our boys played well,” he stated.

To a question, Intikhab said Australians were professional and reckoned they would not be a weaker side in the absence of some key players like Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.

He claimed Pakistan`s batting department was strong and the selected team looked a well-balanced side.

On the inclusion of paceman Shoaib Akhtar in the UAE-bound party, Intikhab said as the bowler had proved himself in the fitness test, his selection was a welcome sign for the Pakistan team.

He said a short training camp would start here from Friday before the squad`s departure to Dubai on April 13.

Intikhab, who returned home from the UAE on Wednesday after looking at the pitches prepared at both venues (for the Australia series), termed the tracks as sporting, adding that his team would try to adjust in the new conditions after playing the practice match there on April 15.

AP adds Intikhab said Australia have enough depth to successfully replace their rested stars in the series.

“They have enough bench strength,” he said on Wednesday. “The wickets in the UAE might not be as much bouncy as the ones in South Africa and it will be interesting how Aussies adjust to the conditions.”