Pakistan batsmen unhappy with some tough calls

The Pakistan cricket team is calling for the return of the referal system after losing batsmen Younis Khan for 73 to an incorrect decision on day three at the Basin Reserve, which sparked a mini-collapse for the tourists.

Khan was given out in controversial circumstances after a close bat pad catch by Brendon McCullum off the bowling of Daniel Vettori.

However replays clearly showed no part of Khan's bat or glove came near the ball.

The match is now evenly poised heading into day four with New Zealand on nine without loss in their second innings trailing Pakistan by 11 runs, and Khan says the referal system must return.

Pakistan-based Canadian cricketers wait for Indian visa

The Canada Cricket Board (CCB) said the Indian High Commission is sitting on the visa applications of its four Pakistan-origin cricketers and it has affected their World Cuppreparations.

CCB President Ranjit Saini said the application is lying with the Indian authorities for the last four months and due to non-clearance, these four cricketers could not go to India in November for a preparatory tour ahead of World Cup.

Saini said the other team members were issued visas but no decision has been taken yet on the applications of batsman Rizwan Cheema, all-rounder Umar Bhatti, paceman Khurran Chauhan and stumper Hamza Tareek.

"We are still awaiting a response on those applications. It has affected our World Cup preparations. We have contacted the authorities several times and ICC officials are also trying to sort it out," Saini said through e-mail.

Saini said it is a great opportunities for the players to go and play World Cup in the sub-continent.

"It's a golden chance for them. Everyone is trying to sort it out and hopefully soon we'll have some good news," he said.

Pakistan to tour West Indies after World Cup

Pakistan cricket team will be touring the West Indies in April/May after the World Cup to play one T20 International and series of 5 - One Day Internationals and two Test matches against the host, according to itinerary received here on Tuesday.

During their 34-day trip to Caribbean Islands, Pakistan will play Test match at Basseterre (St.Kits & Nevis) for the first time.

This will be Pakistan's first tour to West Indies in five year. They last toured the Islands in 2005 under Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Following is tour itinerary.
April 21, T20I at St.Lucia
April 23 Ist ODI at St.Lucia
April 25 2nd ODI at St.Lucia
April 28 3rd ODI at Barbados
May 1 4th ODI at Barbados
May 5 5th ODI at Guyana
May 12-16 Ist Test at Guyana
May 20-24 2nd Test at Basseterre

 

Afridi not worried over Pakistan captaincy

 Shahid Afridi on Tuesday said he was not worried over not being named Pakistan captain because it was a job he had never coveted.

The 30-year-old all-rounder is tipped to lead the team in next month's World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

But when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the 15-man squad on Tuesday, no captain was named, leading to speculation Pakistan's Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq may take the honours.

"I am not worried about the captaincy, it never worries me," Afridi told reporters before leaving for New Zealand, where a six-match one day series starts in Wellington on January 22.

The Test team is already in New Zealand.

Afridi said being named to play for his country was the most important thing.

"I have never run after the captaincy in my entire career. It is something for the cricket board to decide

"If they feel I am the right man they will appoint me and if they don't they will make someone else captain," said Afridi, whose position looked precarious after the team's 2-1 defeat in the Twenty20 series in New Zealand last month.

Afridi, 30, said he did not feel under any undue pressure.

"I am a senior professional and I know what I have to do. I have to lead the team to win the series and perform well as player," said Afridi.

"I know our winning the series will be very important because if we win in New Zealand it will give us a boost for the World Cup," said Afridi.

Pakistan is placed in Group A of the 14-team World Cup, to be played from February 19 to April 2.

PAKISTAN CRICKET TEAM FOR WC ANNOUNCED

1)SHAHID AFRIDI
2)KAMRAN AKMAL
3)MOHAMMED HAFEEZ
4)AHMED SHAHZAD
5)UMER AKMAL
6)YOUNIS KHAN
7)MISBAH UL HAQ
8)ABDUL RAZAQ
9)SOHAIL TAVNIR
10) WAHAB RAIZ
11)UMER GUL
12)ABDUL REHMAN
13)SAEED AJMAL
14)SHOAIB AKTHER
15)ASAD SHAFIQ

Mohammad Amir: Air of uncertainty

pakistan’s top three players attended the court hearing at Doha, and between Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt, as delineable through their appearances there looked an evident confusion between the verbal, logical, analytical, visual, intuitive, holistic and cognitive functions. The decisions were deferred until February 5, and it is evident that bans for the three ‘tainted’ players are on the table. Debunking Butt and Asif wouldn’t make a difference, salvaging Amir could be essentially logical. 

Amir isn’t merely a prodigally talented Pakistan fast bowler but a rare high quality international product who could be a genuine superstar. Abysmally, he wasn’t tutored or given the ‘right’ advice; his seemed a clear cut case of ‘bad precedence’ and ‘perilous influence’. Amir, if penalised would have to carry the stigma all throughout his life; none tried tutoring him the hazards of being part of a phenomenal module as early as eighteen years of age. 

It is a neurological fact that the brain of high pedigreed sportsman is divided into two completely separate hemispheres. Each hemisphere processes information differently. Generally, the left brain processes information in a series. It thinks in language.

It works linearly and methodically. The right hemisphere processes information in parallel. It thinks in mental images. It sees the big picture. In Amir’s case, as it is with a plethora of high quality sportsmen, his right brain was not configured by the people who were nurturing him as he stepped into the intense and highly competitive world of international cricket.

It isn’t really about the morality that develops at home and in the blood, it is about the work ethics and the culture that a newcomer has to adapt as he sees the glitterati he comes in contact with; in Pakistan team’s case who was the real role model that he could emulate; Shahid Afridi (twice caught cheating), Younis Khan (relinquishing captaincy twice in his attempts to accentuate power), Mohammad Asif (twice caught accused of doping and for possessing contraband substance in his valet) or Salman Butt mingling with a suspicious upstart acting as a player-agent. 

How could Amir see the ‘big picture’? I am pretty sure, keeping in perspective my experiences with the school, college, university, club, city association, regional and even the Pakistan teams, Amir like so many other flamboyant youthful and spectacularly talented cricketers would have only been advised about the straightening of the arm, pivot and the jump or at most about strategies and tactics to use in his bowling but not a minute spent on character building. When it comes to morality, we must know a dim bulb seldom lights up the corner office, even if the player is extremely bright. 

If he could understand what morality could add to his cricket, he should have been able to figure out what to do. It seemed that Amir, unfortunately, exceedingly bright also had an exceedingly warped sense of what character and spirit of cricket was all about. Unwarping his mind shouldn’t have been difficult though it is a fact that in a denigrating society morality isn’t commons sense; nor is it easy to learn. Ironically, when Amir joined the Pakistan team it was already in a mess; badly captained and the PCB horrendously governed. 

The only brand was presumably Shoaib Akhtar with a strong perception but he wasn’t at his prime, just a passenger car being sold under a tag of a supersonic. It seemed he was on the brink of being parked in history’s garage. Where were the role models? It was simply a question of two different takes to every deal. There was a morality take and a cricketing take; when he picked his first haul of five wickets in Tests, it was a landmark initially hailed as a blueprint of the global fast bowling industry. It sounded like a typical left brain cricketing take. 

Where was the morality? Tampered, masked or brazenly ignored? Amir’s early history illustrates a young gangling boy, uncouth and raw travelling from his birth place Gujar Khan where he was born on April 13th, 1992 exactly nineteen days after Pakistan had annexed the Benson & Hedges World Cup at Melbourne. He arrived at the Bajwa Academy run by Asif Bajwa of the Rawalpindi Division Cricket Association. 

Availing the boarding and lodging facility, Amir was spotted as being one of the outstanding blokes. He was instantly introduced to the Rawalpindi U-19s, intuitively, that didn’t make investment sense. It didn’t make cricketing sense, either. Why Amir’s early introduction to domestic cricket was referred to as a disaster; it wasn’t about his prowess and ‘zip’. True enough, but as cricketing people would point out, unrestrained and stupendous talent and the merger with frail schooling and meek moral development could destroy this brand; it happened exactly like that. 

On November 6th, 2008 Amir made his first class debut for the Federal Areas versus North West Frontier Province at the Arbab Niaz Stadium. Two glittering off-drives towards the end of the innings plus a solitary wicket wasn’t really the start expected from him; he was only 16 years old. In his second match, his first in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy representing National Bank of Pakistan against the Habib Bank at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex Ground in Karachi, as by default I was there, I saw him bowling at a blistering pace, with an angle that was slightly awkward, the slant and lateral movement, the rare in swinger though his palm was straight, an unwanted flexion of wrist during delivery still he had in him something exceptional. 

He wrecked Raffatullah Mohmand and Younis Khan in his first spell and returning just after tea, he added two more wickets (Fahad Masood & Danish Kaneria) ending with 4-20 in 11.5 overs (4 maidens). So much happened to him so quickly and on tour to Kenya with the Pakistan ‘A’ team he wasn’t really appreciated for his binges and bunking out, late nights etc; in spite of a mention in the manager’s report, he still graduated to the senior Pakistan team and made his debut in Test against Sri Lanka at Galle. He bowled stunningly picking wickets of Warnapura, Kumar Sangakkara and Tilakeratne Dilshan in the first innings plus wickets of Paranavitana, Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene in the second to complete an auspicious entry into Test cricket. 

The next two Tests brought him down to zero, wicket-less in four completed innings. Mediocrity prevailed in New Zealand but over to the neighbourhood, and brazen battering in the first innings, Amir rhythmically ripped Australia apart ending with 14-6-79-5 (Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Marcus North and Brad Hiddin) all recognised top tier batsmen. Amir was there to stay. 

And in his last of the fifteen Tests he devastated England at Lord’s ending with 28-6-84-6 (including two controversial No-Balls). Ending with 51 wickets at 29.09 with 3 x 5WI, enough for Michael Holding to cry in a show, deeply emotional of why it had happened to Amir, naive, youthful and spectacular. Not only Holding but 180 Million people of Pakistan weep as the ICC tribunal is set to penalise him, certainly sure to be absent from the World Cup 2011. We shouldn’t mourn, we must not defy but define reality?

Afridi wants the best from his players

 Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Monday urged his troops to rally behind him and beat New Zealand ‘convincingly’ in their One-day International series in a bid to give their World Cup hopes a big boost.

Afridi, who left for New Zealand on Monday night, told ‘The News’ in an interview that each and every player of his team will have to contribute if Pakistan are to do well against New Zealand and more importantly in the World Cup which rolls into action in the subcontinent from February 19.

“Individual performances can win you a match or two but you can get good results on a consistent basis only if each and every player is doing his job,” said the flamboyant allrounder, who is expected to lead Pakistan in World Cup 2011.

“That’s why I’m asking my players to pull up their socks and start giving their best because from now on each and every match is going to be vital for us,” he stressed.

Pakistan, the 1992 champions, flopped miserably in the 2003 and 2007 editions of the World Cup after featuring in the 1999 final.

Their preparations for World Cup 2011 have been hampered by unconvincing results on the field and morale-shattering controversies off it and most critics don’t believe that they have any realistic chances of winning the title.

But Afridi remains confident that his team can lift the World Cup on April 2 in Mumbai.

“I have great faith in my team,” said the 30-year-old, who has scored 6431 runs and bagged 288 wickets from 306 ODI appearances.

“On our day we can beat the best in the world,” he said. “What we need is self-belief.”

To get that much-needed self-belief and confidence, Afridi is eyeing a forceful showing in the six-match ODI series against the Black Caps starting January 22 in Wellington.

“It’s going to be a crucial series,” said Afridi. “At the moment our team needs some big wins because that’s going to give our confidence a huge boost. That’s why we will be going all out to win this series and win it convincingly,” he added.

Under Afridi, Pakistan lost the three-match Twenty20 International series 1-2 against New Zealand last month. But the tourists are doing better in the ongoing two Test series under Misbah-ul-Haq as they clinched the opening match by ten wickets earlier this month.

Afridi believes that Pakistan’s emphatic triumph in the final T20 game turned out to be the turning point.

“That win has really lifted the team’s spirits and that’s showing in the Test series,” he said. “It would be great that we go into the one-dayers after winning the Test series because nothing works like victory.”

Afridi is confident that he would raise his own game to inspire his teammates.

“I have to lead from the front,” he said. “As captain I will have to deliver to set an example for my players.”

Afridi is hoping to shine with both the bat and ball against New Zealand.

“Personally, it is going to be an important series for me because it will be played just before the World Cup. I will really work hard on my individual performance because as a senior player and allrounder it’s important for the team that I do well in the series.”

Afridi, in fact, is expecting all of his senior players to click. “Obviously, the seniors have a lot of responsibility and I’m sure that all of them are going to fulfill it.”

Pakistan - 11 For WC ????

Pakistan Cricket Board is all set to announce the 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2011 .Most of the Pakistan cricket fans already know who will be the 15 players to travel down to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and, if progressed, then to India.However, the million-dollar-question is what would be the final-eleven which will be selected by skipper Shahid Khan Afridi and team management including coach Waqar Younis.

Younis wants UDRS across the board

Pakistan batsman Younis Khan believes the International Cricket Council should introduce the umpire decision review system across the board.

Younis was on the receiving end of a poor decision on day three of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington as the visitors were dismissed for 376. The veteran was given out caught at short leg for 73 off Daniel Vettori's bowling despite the ball not touching the bat.

His dismissal broke a 142-run stand with captain Misbah-ul-Haq (99) and sparked a collapse as Pakistan lost their last six wickets for 90 runs.

Although philosophical about the decision, Younis says it's time for the referral system to be introduced in all forms of the game.

"It was a good partnership with the captain, we were a little bit unlucky because it was 150 run partnership and we could have gone on," he said after stumps.

"It's the nature of the game, the umpires are human. You can't blame anyone for the decision.

"In future we need it regularly in the Test game and one-dayers, and also Twenty20 as well."

Younis' 73 was his first major contribution during the tour of New Zealand and he is happy to get a big score under his belt with the World Cup just around the corner.

"I had a hundred against South Africa and now I have a good innings here as well," he said. "Before the World Cup you need a couple of good innings like today's one, so I'm happy about that."

"I needed an innings because I couldn't make any runs in the Twenty20s and in the first Test I only scored 20 plus. Today at the crease I just wanted to stay in, face more balls and play some shots."

New Zealand finished the day nine without loss, still 20 runs behind Pakistan's first innings.

Fast bowler Chris Martin, who finished with four for 91, says the Black Caps will be looking to score some runs in the morning session.

"I suppose we turn up and all the cliches will ring true in the morning, about batting that session and seeing where were at," Martin said. "It depends how much time we have in the game and how far we get with the run rate.

"I know there will be an opportunity for Dan to come into the game quite strongly on that last afternoon."

PCB names worldcup squad today,Afridi doubhtful as skipper

The selection panel of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will announce the final 15-man squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2011 here on Tuesday (today) with fate of Shahid Afridi as skipper hangs in balance.

Sources in the PCB told The Sports Encounter that currently there are two schools of thought in the PCB after a report from team manager national cricket team Waqar Younis, which is quite critical of Afridi’s performance as skipper and player in the team.There are chances that Mohsin Hasan Khan-led selection panel of the PCB may keep Afridi as skipper but a great performance by Misbah-ul-Haq as Test captain has turned him into a strong contender for the ODIs captaincy as well.

Chief Selector Mohsin Hassan Khan will announce the 15-player squad for the ICC flagship event.

Sources further told TSE correspondent that the team will include Shahid Afridi (C), Abdul Razzaq, Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal, Misbah–ul-Haq, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman, Shoaib Akhtar, Younus Khan, Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz, and Sohail Tanvir.

Miandad asks players to change their attitude

Javed Miandad on Monday gave bickering players a dressing down after tempers flared again on the fifth and final day of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Division-I final between Habib Bank (HBL) and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

Miandad, the Director General of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), slammed the negative attitude and bad behaviour of the players here at the National Stadium.

The former Pakistan captain expressed his anger over the way players conducted themselves on the field. In the match that was televised live, there were accusations of ball-tampering, poor umpiring and several cases of indiscipline.

Players from both sides failed to control their tempers and turned what should have been a cricketing carnival into a hostile battle for supremacy. Both parties were heard and seen abusing each other. But the umpires failed to take control of the match at any point.

“The players need to change their attitude if they want to move forward,” warned Miandad. “When two teams play, one has to finish at the losing end and the players will have to learn to accept defeat gracefully,” he added.

“I feel let down by the actions of these players. There are some players who are very talented and can play for the national team. But for that they need to change their mentality and attitude.”

Meanwhile, a senior PIA official disagreed with Miandad and said that the players were all pumped up.

“The players were all pumped up and in the heat of moment things can be said to the opponents,” he said.

“Sledging is a part and parcel of the game. Australians have been doing that, similarly other top teams do so too.

“If these players are showing fighting attitude, this shows that they care for their departments and wanted to win the title. But unfortunately umpiring went against us,” he said.

“Fahad Masood showed the bat to our captain and used abusive words. Nobody took any notice of that serious gesture.

“Our players were also abused by our opponents.”

He added that the biased umpiring was the main reason which infuriated the players.

“Largely, the umpires were responsible for the negative attitude our players.

“There comes a time when you need to show that you are unhappy and that was the case.” 

Meanwhile HBL players also had complains against the PIA team.

“PIA’s players were using words which were intolerable but we had the courage to absorb them and play to our potential,” said one HBL player.

“They accused us of ball-tampering but everyone witnessed themselves that (PIA’s) Najaf Shah was tampering with the ball openly.

“As far as the umpiring is concerned we were also the victims of that as several decisions also went against us.” 

I have never run after captaincy, says Shahid Afridi

Pakistan's one-day skipper Shahid Afridi has said that he is under no threat regarding the World Cup captaincy issue as he had never run after the captaincy in his entire career. "I have never run after the captaincy in my entire career. It is something for the cricket board to decide.if they feel i m good enough The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is yet to announce the final squad and the captain for the World Cup and the performances of Misbah-ul-Haq as captain and batsman in the Tests in New Zealand have made him a strong candidate to lead the team in the World Cup.

Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad also left with Afridi to join the national team (playing the Test series) in New Zealand for the six-match ODI series, the last international outing for Pakistan before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 to be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Afridi said he was just focusing on the one-day series, which was his immediate task.

"I am taking no pressure over the captaincy. I am a senior pro and I know what I have to do," he said.

"It is obvious that if we do well in the one-day series and I also perform as a player it will help me and the team a lot," he added.

Afridi said the series in New Zealand was an important one for Pakistan as part of their preparations for the World Cup.

"If we win the series it will definitely boost our confidence ahead of the World Cup, although the tournament would be played in totally different conditions," he pointed out.

The flamboyant allrounder who has led Pakistan in T20 and ODIs since last year, said the team management and selectors had more or less finalised the combination for the World Cup.

"But the players selected for the New Zealand series have to perform well so that we can go into the World Cup with our confidence high."to lead the team in the World Cup they will retain me if not, that is life," Afridi told the reporters before leaving for New Zealand for the one-day series, starting from January 22.

Yes, Shoaib is an icon for pace, Confirms Ian Pont

Pune, (India), - Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar's recent claim about his bowling ("I am still lethal and have not cut down on my speed and can still bowl well over 90 miles an hour") has not surprised Ian Pont, the National Bowling Coach of the Bangladesh cricket team.

Speaking exclusively from England, where he is holidaying, Ian Pont said, "I worked with Shoaib in 2005 when I was the Technical Fast Bowling Coach to Worcestershire Academy. He came across one Sunday when I was working with the players and watched for a while. He was introduced to me and said, "you are the pace guy", which made me smile. And the first thing he asked me was, "do you think I could bowl faster".

"We had a 90 minute one-to-one session after the academy players had finished and in that time we discussed the merits of his action and how he could access more pace from his hips and legs", Pont said.

"The one thing that struck me about Shoaib is that he is incredibly knowledgeable about his own action". I have always felt that Shoaib could bowl faster with a straight front leg when he bowls, but other than that he has all the attributes required of a genuine power bowler. He has a really big 'stretch reflex' (full pull back of his bowling arm behind him like a javelin thrower), which is ideal for this type of explosive action. Bio-mechanically, he could still squeeze out some more speed though with a couple of tweaks", added Pont.

"In our session, Shoaib was able to bowl high speeds from a short run up, proving he simply exploded through his action to create pace. Over the years, Shoaib's action has become more reliant on being a powerful athlete, which is not common. He has changed during a 12 year period to being more strength based and less rhythm based so his action will naturally migrate towards a change. I think he is probably on his third reincarnation of his action - and this final one is very much requiring him to be as fit as he can", adds Pont.

"I think he is a smart fast bowler and it is testament to his skill and fitness that he is still bowling great speed at around 35 years of age. Passion for pace is what counts and he has that".

PCB to hand out central contract to players later this month

Karachi, Jan 17 (PTI) The Pakistan Cricket Board plans to hand out its new central contracts to players for the fiscal year by the end of this month with cricketers under scrutiny for alleged corruption or links with bookies or those facing fitness issues unlikely to get fresh contracts. Sources in the board said that former captain Shoaib Malik or test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria were unlikely to be included in the new central contracts list until they satisfied the board's integrity committee and got unofficial clearance to play again for Pakistan. The PCB has officially never confirmed on what suspicions the two players were not considered for recent selections for the New Zealand tour of the World Cup preliminary squad but the source said they would not get contracts unless they fulfill all demands of the board regarding the submission of details of their assets, accounts and sources of income. One source said they were some other player who could miss out on the central contracts for different reasons. "This time the board is going to be very particular while finalising the list of players to get central contracts," the source said. He said even those senior players who were no longer certain selections like Muhammad Yousuf or Shoaib Akhtar were unlikely to be given contracts. Although Akhtar has remained a regular member of the T20 and one-day team in recent months, Yousuf was dropped for the tour to New Zealand and is not certain to be picked in the World Cup squad as well. Kaneria was placed in the category A last year in the central contracts list. "The selectors have been asked to draw up a list of players and recommend them for the central contracts and retainers but the board has the authority to finalise and shortlist the players," the source added. The central contracts given out last year the source had expired on December 31st. "The new contracts whenever they are given out will be backdated from January 1st and there is o bar on players being added to the list later on as it happened last year," he noted. The players who get central contracts are given monthly salaries by the board in three different slabs with the A category players getting 250,000 per month and those in the second and third categories being paid 200,000 and 150,000.PTI Cor ATK

I can still bowl 150 km/h: Shoaib

Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday said he had not cut down on his speed and could still bowl well above 90 miles.

Shoaib, who made a comeback to international cricket after a gap of two years, said he was feeling comfortable bowling longer spells and would love to play match-winning role for his country in the forthcoming World Cup.

He said modifying his run-up had been very helpful.

“I have shortened my run-up but it has not affected my pace. I can still bowl around 150 km/h. I wish I had modified my run-up 10 years back.

“I am bowling decently and picking up wickets as well. I hope to continue good work and help Pakistan win the World Cup.”

Pakistan lost first two Twenty20 matches against New Zealand. But Shoaib’s performance in the series has been commendable. He has so far taken four wickets.

The 35-year-old pacer said, “When it comes to my fitness, I am always confident. I want to make a difference and lead Pakistan to some good results. We are going to win matches and show the world that we are honourable people.”

Afridi terms NZ series crucial

Pakistan limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi said that a win in the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand will set the right tone ahead of the World Cup that starts on February 19.

Afridi along with all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, batsman Ahmed Shahzad, fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal left for New Zealand last night to join the team for the six-match ODI series that starts on January 22. Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who returned home following the demise of his father, also left with the group.

Afridi said his team will go all out for the series win. “The series is very important because it’s the last before the World Cup,” Afridi told The Express Tribune. “We will try to win maximum matches to gain the confidence ahead of the important event.”

The experienced all-rounder, however, expected a stiff battle from the hosts and said that all the players will have to perform in order to achieve the desired result.

“New Zealand is a very good limited-overs side especially at home. All the players will have to play a part as victory would only come through collective effort.”

The all-rounder added that his performance was also crucial. “Performance of a captain counts a lot in the team’s overall performance and I am looking forward to contributing as a team member as well.”

Pakistan lost the Twenty20 series 2-1 at the start of the tour but Afridi was unperturbed and was looking at positives that came out in the series.

“We were not impressive but I’m looking at the positives. We won the third match comprehensively which lifted our morale.”

He said the outcome of the ongoing Test series will play a major role before the start of the ODIs.

“Our victory in the last T20 lifted the morale which can be seen in Tests. Similarly, the result of the Test series will reflect in the ODI series.”