Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi believes that his side is a better unit in the ODI format of cricket than in the Test and Twenty20 formats.
"I would agree that a lot of work has to be done before we start doing well in Tests consistently," said Afridi upon returning home from New Zealand, after Pakistan lost its Twenty20 series against the Kiwis 2-1. "Even our Twenty20 team needs a world of improvement. But when it comes to one-day cricket, we are close to achieving an ideal combination. Most of the players in our Twenty20 team are better suited to the one-day format."
It is because of his belief that Pakistan is better suited to ODI cricket that the flamboyant batsman is confident of his team’s ability to deliver an impressive performance in next month’s World Cup
“No matter what people say and believe, I'm confident that Pakistan will do really well in the World Cup,” he said. “I won't make any predictions but would make it clear that Pakistan will take their best shot for the World Cup title.”
The Pakistan skipper came under fire from many retired Pakistani cricketers for being the main reason behind the country’s defeat in the Twenty20 series in New Zealand. Many questioned Afridi’s decision to open the batting in the first two matches of the series which Pakistan lost. Afridi, however, admitted that his decision to open had backfired and clarified that he would not be opening anymore.
"The idea behind my decision to open was to help give the team some fast and useful starts," he said. "But it didn't work out. Now I've decided to stick to No.6 spot both for Twenty20s and ODIs in the future."
Pakistan has so far failed to finalize its squad for the World Cup, which is just 46 days away now. The obvious reason is the clearance issue of several key players. Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal and Danish Kaneria are facing a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) probe into their financial assets because the International Cricket Council (ICC) has expressed concerns over the possible involvement of these individuals in match-fixing. The trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif has been suspended by the ICC from cricket because of their alleged links with bookmaker Mazhar Majeed and involvement in spot-fixing during Pakistan’s tour of England last year. The three players will be facing a formal hearing by the ICC on January 6 in Doha, Qatar.
These uncertain circumstances have forced the PCB to delay the announcement of the 30-member preliminary squad for this World Cup. According to insiders, the board wants the ICC to allow it to name the suspended players in the 30-member squad, so that they can feature in the World Cup in the event that they are cleared of the spot-fixing charges.
“It's certainly not an ideal situation,” said Afridi of Pakistan’s sticky situation. “But it's our history that we give our best under pressure."
