Sports

‘We want to play a weak team in the quarters’

Afridi hinted at experimenting with the playing 11 in the match against Canada.

Fawad Hussain March 01, 2011

COLOMBO: With two wins in the bag, Pakistan are aiming to top Group A which will allow the 1992 champions to play a weaker side from Group B in the quarter-final while ensuring their first knock-out tie takes place in Sri Lanka.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said that with the team on the right track, the mission should be accomplished.

“We’d like to play in Colombo,” Afridi told reporters at the P Sara Stadium. “We’re used to the conditions in Sri Lanka now. By finishing top of the group, we’ll face the fourth-placed team from the other group which favours us.

“We want to avoid playing the quarter-finals in India and our second priority is to play in Bangladesh.”

Pakistan will play their last-eight match in Colombo if they finish on top while a second place in the group stages means they travel to Dhaka. A lower place finish and Pakistan will have to play in India.

Team changes expected against Canada

Afridi, who turned 31 yesterday, said his team will not take Canada lightly since the winning momentum needs to be continued. However, the all-rounder, who has nine wickets in two matches of the tournament, signalled a couple of changes in the match to be played tomorrow.

“We’ll like to try out different combinations as it would be a good chance for experimentation. The changes would only be decided in the team management meeting.”

Razzaq eyes match-winning role

Meanwhile, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, whose role has been limited in the World Cup so far, said that he needed to be given a chance with the bat to prove his match-winning role in the team.

Razzaq, an explosive batsman, is yet to make his presence felt in the World Cup with 11 runs in the two matches while coming in at number eight.

“Of course I want to do better for my team,” said Razzaq, who seemed content with his overall role.

“If I am getting fewer chances at number eight, it means our batsmen are doing well. I have no issues because our top priority is the team’s interest.”

The 31-year-old all-rounder, who has bowled just 10 overs for 46 runs in the two matches, was also satisfied being the stock bowler of the team.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2011.

COMMENTS (2)

Salman Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply This is negative attitude from Afridi and in the recent history he never showed such attitude. Why he did this? I agree that this should be the strategy & aim to go on top of pool table and automatically you will play according to format but making it public he showed his weakness and fear which is not his trait and will have negative impact if Pakistan didn't turn-up pool leader. I'm very much optimistic of Pakistan making into finals of CWC 2011but now first time I have feeling otherwise because of this :-( Come on Afridi shed this from your & teams mind and focus on giving best in every match and against every opponent to come out as a winner! You can do it Boom Boom :-)

Blithe | 13 years ago | Reply Razzaq should have been promoted up on that match against Sri Lanka. He should have ideally come in after Younis got out. The floater concept needs to be effectively used.

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