Pakistan brace themselves for international action at home in the first T20 against Zimbabwe in Lahore. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Cricket returns to the country after six years and the Gaddafi Stadium will be hosting its first-ever T20I on Friday but skipper Shahid Afridi was in no mood for sentiments and warned that players such as Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal will have to perform well in order to keep their places in the side.
Afridi said that several players wait in the wings for Pakistan and the current crop needs to deliver or will quickly find themselves on the sidelines.
“Ahmed and Umar are Pakistan’s best talents and have been the serving the team for a long time,” said Afridi during a press conference in the stadium. “They now have the opportunity and would have to prove themselves to keep their places in the side. But it is not only them. Even I have to prove myself as a captain. There are a lot of players sitting outside and if others don’t perform, then we would give them a chance.”
The 35-year-old termed the return of international cricket as a very positive step. “We’ve been waiting for this moment for six years and the credit goes to Shaharyar Khan and his entire team,” added Afridi. “I especially want to thank the Zimbabwe government and their team, and hope they enjoy their trip here. It’s big for me as well that I have the honour of leading the team in Pakistan before I retire after the World Twenty20.”
The all-rounder explained that the focus is on preparing a good team for the World Twenty20 next year and that experiments are being made to address the areas that need improvement.
He further added that he has requested the selection committee to provide him with three or four new good spinners or all-rounders. “I want three or four new players from domestic cricket inducted into the side before the World Cup. In the end, it’s their responsibility and I can only request and not interfere in their work,” he revealed, before adding that the chopping and changing will stop soon.
“I’ve told them that I don’t want any changes three months before the World T20 so that we have a settled squad going into the tournament. There are eight or nine months left before the event and hopefully senior players such as Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Sami will grab their opportunity in this series with both hands.”
Before leaving, the skipper said that Pakistan will not take Zimbabwe lightly as any team can do well on a given day and expressed satisfaction over the players given to him by the selection committee.
‘We feel at home,’ says Zimbabwe captain
Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura stated that the tight security arrangements have made his team feel at home and now their focus has shifted towards the game.
“We feel at home right now and our focus is on playing good cricket. Hopefully, we’ll get off to a good start,” said Chigumbura. “We just want to carry the momentum from the World Cup, even though this is a different format. Dav Whatmore’s presence in our camp will also help our cause as he has coached Pakistan previously.”
The 29-year-old also hoped that Zimbabwe will cause an upset like Bangladesh had in Pakistan’s last limited-over series. “Any team that plays good cricket can win,” he said. “We must field our strongest eleven and give it our all, rather than worry too much about the result.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2015.
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