KARACHI - After great show by the bowlers, Pakistan batsmen's role will be crucial in taking the team in the quarterfinals of Cricket World Cup, Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shaharyar Khan said Monday.
"Our bowlers particularly Wahab and Irfan bowled Pakistan to an exciting victory over Zimbabwe," he told APP in an exclusive interview. "The bowlers gave our team a new lease of life in a do-or-die game," he commented. He complimented the bowlers for defending a small total.
He said like the whole country and millions of supporters of Pakistan team across the globe, he was worried about team's overall performances. This was Pakistan's first win after suffering humiliating defeats against arch-rival India and the West Indies. Pakistan will face UAE at the New Zealand city of Napier on Wednesday before clashing powerful South Africa at Auckland on March 7. Pakistan's last encounter will be Adelaide on March 15.
Shaharyar said performance of top order batting will be of great significance in making to the knockout rounds. "Our batsmen like Ahmed Shahzad, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood must support their captain Misbah-ul-Haq," he asserted.
"We needed big innings from our batsme. Without this it can be difficult to reach the quarter-finals," he emphasized. He hoped that Shahid Afridi will be show his magic with the bat and ball and he was capable of doing it. Pakistan are only team in the World cup which had not crossed 250 runs mark in the event as yet with team making plus 300 and 400 in different matches. "Batting is big worry. But its big opportunity for Pakistan batsmen to raise their confidence against UAE," he remarked. "Pakistan needed big win against UAE to improve their run-rate. We badly needed to improve our run-rate because of batting trouble. It can help us to go into the knock-out stage", he added
Shaharyar reiterated that as per his opinion, after the failure of Nasir Jamshed in the first two matches, Sarfraz Ahmed should opened the innings. He said Pakistan needed specialist wicketkeeper/batsman and Sarfraz can play that role.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq, however had said that Sarfraz does not fit in the scheme of things at the moment. All the former Pakistan captains, cricket experts and analyst demanding the inclusion of Sarfraz Ahmed after make-shift keeper Umar Akmal dropped half a dozen catches in the first three matches. Commenting on his meeting with chief selector Moin Khan, he said it was postponed due to his sickness.
Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan was called back by PCB Chairman for his visit to Christchurch Casino before the match against West Indies which created huge controversy and furor in Pakistan.