KARACHI, April 5: Pakistan cricket captain Waqar Younis said Friday his side was eager to win the Sharjah tri-series this month as a way to launch their World Cup preparations.
“Although there is still time and much cricket to be played before next year’s World Cup I hope we can win this tri-series to open our campaign,” Younis told AFP.
Pakistan’s 16-man squad leaves for Sharjah Friday night to feature in a series with Sri Lanka and New Zealand from April 8-17.
“Both New Zealand and Sri Lanka are competitive teams and will give us ideal competitive cricket but I have confidence in my team and hope to achieve the best possible result,” Younis said.
Ace pace bowler Wasim Akram and experienced off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq are back in the squad after being left out of the Asian Test championship final in Lahore last month.
Pakistan will play as many as 31 one-day internationals in the lead up to next February’s World Cup in South Africa, including two indoor limited over matches in Australia in June.
“These matches will give us a chance to rotate players and try them before the World Cup because some of our key players will also play county cricket in England,” the Pakistan captain said.
Pakistan faces problems at the top of the order with seasonal wrist injuries.
Imran Nazir was recalled for the Sharjah series along with middle-order batsman Misbahul Haq who could also open the innings with popular allrounder Shahid Afridi.
“We are trying various combinations and hopefully we’ll get it right for the World Cup,” Younis said.
Pakistan also hosts New Zealand for three one-day internationals and two Tests this month, a series postponed in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in the United States.
Pakistan also also plans August-September this year.
Squad: Waqar Younis (captain), Inzamam-ul Haq (vice captain), Imran Nazir, Shahid Afridi, Misbahul Haq, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Abdur Razzaq, Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, Shoaib Malik, Azhar Mahmood, Rashid Lati Mudassar Nazar. Manager: Yawar Saeed
WHATMORE CONFIDENT: Sri Lanka’s cricketers are confident of reclaiming Sharjah’s desert crown from a full strength Pakistan side in the bi-annual cricket triangular, adds PPI from Sharjah.
Waqar Younis’s Pakistan powered to a an easy victory in November and Sri Lankan cricket coach Dav Whatmore is therefore looking for a special show of character from the Sri Lankan players.
“Against Pakistan I want to feel a real positive intent,” said Whatmore. “As far as I am concerned, I glad that we are going to be playing a full strength Pakistani side - bring them on, that’s what I say.”
“I am interested to see how we go. This doesn’t mean that we have to win - I am looking at the performance and want us to meet them head on.”
With nine straight wins in Test cricket under their belt, Whatmore senses a new inner strength within the side:
“Success is about creating the right mindset and I believe that the most important reason for our recent success has been an increase in mental toughness.”
Sharjah will mark a major change in the Sri Lankan’s one-day strategy, with Kumar Sangakkara sliding up the order into the openers berth, a position Whatmore believes he is ideally suited to.
“Sanga’s promotion represents a significant change in our approach to one-day cricket - a change that I believe will improve it, although we also have the option of reverting back at any stage,” he said.
“The thinking behind it is that when playing in England, and on some surfaces in Australia and South Africa, we cannot afford to lose too many wickets in the first fifteen overs. The degree to which we take risks needs to be reduced.”
Sri Lanka played a warm-up game on Friday against the United Arab Emirates before taking on Pakistan in the first game on Monday.
An injury ravaged New Zealand side, fresh from their dramatic series leveling Test win against England, are the third team in the tournament.