Sports

Pakistan team flies to West Indies for World T20

Express April 25, 2010

LAHORE: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younus said they hoped their countrymen would get behind the World Twenty20 team which left for the West Indies on Saturday.

"We hope the whole nation backs us in our campaign," said coach Waqar as most of the team left for St Lucia.

Pakistan, which won the title in England last year, is placed in Group A of the 12-nation event which starts on April 30 and finishes on May 16. They face Bangladesh in the opening match on May 1.

Two teams from each of the four groups will qualify for the next stage of the tournament. Waqar, who replaced Intikhab Alam as coach after team's dismal tour of Australia in February this year, said all matches are tough.

"We will not take any match easy and put best efforts to achieve the target, which is to successfully defend our title," said the former fast bowler.

"We have trained well and are confident of success. "We have a very balanced team in all departments and if we bat to our plan, bowl accurately and field well then there is no reason why we should not win again, but we also need prayers from the people." Waqar said Pakistan has an edge with their spinners. "Our spinners are good and West Indian pitches will suit them," said Waqar of Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Abdul Rehman - four regular spinners in the team.

COMMENTS (6)

Dawood Iqbal | 14 years ago | Reply Well said WALEED.

Mohammad Waleed Shaikh | 14 years ago | Reply Best Of Luck team Pakistan.. We are always with you through good and bad.. @ Meekal first of all ur taliban comment about Imran Khan was a fazul comment. Secondly everyone commits mistakes in their life and so did Afridi. u r denying the talent of our super stars like Waqar and Imran. We have always criticized and remembered the mistakes of our heroes thats why we always hesitate in supporting them. U might not know that the microphones installed in the wickets are because of the rude and humiliating behaviour. Besides being a great cricketer and super star Afridi is an excellent man as well. Waqar and Imran used to scuff the ball to reverse swing it. How come no one else thought of doing it. Saqlain Mushtaq invented doosra. Wasim Akram king of swing. Now lets point fingers at all of them for they knew how to do it and know one else did. We always blame the players because they are the ones in the limelight. Never do we notice what our sports boards are doing in order to make the sports better. If i select an illiterate man of a character not so good in the team because of his talent and then further i do not concentrate on his character building and other things then he will do whatever bad he can whenever he gets the chance to do so. Makhaya Ntini was picked up from one of the most poor colonies and then he was sent to college, his character building was done before bringing him into the team. Soch lia karo kuch bolnay say pehle.