Pakistan cricket team captain, Shahid Afridi on Friday vowed to unleash a surprise attack against the four-time reigning champions, Australia, in their much-anticipated final league clash of Group A in the ongoing ICC World Cup, 2011.
"We have made some plans against them because they are very strong mentally and physically, so you will see in the game we will do something new against these guys," said Afridi on Friday.
Pakistan have eight points from five games while the defending champions have nine from an equal number of group-stage matches.
Both sides have a chance to top the group by winning the game and enter the knockout stage high on confidence. The other advantage the winner of tomorrow’s game will get is that they will face a relatively weaker opposition from Group B in their quarter-final clash.
Depending on the final permutations of league stage of both groups, the Cornered Tigers could even end up facing arch-rivals India in the quarter-finals.
But the flamboyant Pakistan captain declined to be drawn in the possible placements saying that they will go into tomorrow’s game with a must-win approach. He further added that he has a definite plan to defeat the Kangaroos and break their 34-match winning streak in World Cup which started back in 1999.
"We know that this game is very important for us to end in a good position in the group. If we win, we will go into quarters with a win and a good, positive attitude, which is more important," said the 31-year-old.
The Men in Green under Wasim Akram’s were the last to beat mighty Aussies in a World Cup game in 1999 edition at Leeds; Afridi vowed they will repeat the fiesta on Saturday.
The Pakistan skipper however admitted that the Kangaroos were a strong all-round team. Afridi further added that the Aussies know well how to use the conditions but he was confident of his team’s strengths as well.
The swashbuckling all-rounder confirmed that Umar Akmal is completely fit and hinted that he might make the playing XI against Australia.
