Waqar Younis confident about good show from Pakistan

© Getty

Waqar Younis, the Pakistan coach, has expressed confidence about his team's performance in the upcoming ICC World T20, 2016, the main rounds of which start from March 15th. He was speaking to the media on Friday (March 11) ahead of the team's departure to India - which was delayed following security concerns. The Pakistan management had expressed fears over the team's security in Dharamsala, where it was supposed to meet hosts, India, on March 19.

Following their request, the International Cricket Council (ICC), replaced the venue with Eden Gardens, Kolkata - paving the way for the green signal from the Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharief. "It's very good news that we are going to India to participate in the World T20," Waqar said. "It would have left a bad impression on world cricket had we not gone ahead, the conditions seem to have improved and it's great that the matter has been settled," he added.

Talking about preparations for the tournament, Waqar exuded confidence about the abilities of his team. The Pakistan coach conceded that the recent performances were poor, but hoped that the team would lift themselves up during the mega tournament. "It's true that we haven't performed as well as we could have during the past few matches. There have been a few setbacks in recent times, but we are looking forward to a good show in the tournament," he said.

Waqar also spoke about his own past experience of touring India and cited the 1999 Test tour as an example. "We have played in India during tougher times," he said referring to the 1998-99 series. "We played an exceptional brand of cricket and emerged victorious then. We shouldn't go in with a negative frame of mind. We will look to play positively and hope to perform better," he said.

When reminded about Pakistan's dismal performance in the last world event (2015 World Cup), Waqar brushed it aside and said conditions in India will suit his team much better. "We were pretty naive then," he stated. "The conditions during the 2015 World Cup (co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand) were completely different to what we will experience in India. We have done well whenever we have toured India," he added.

While Waqar accepted that batting continues to remain an issue, he expressed hope that the changes made recently (Ahmed Shehzad replacing Khurram Manzoor and the addition of Sharjeel Khan) will hold them in good stead. "To be fair, the batting conditions (during the Asia Cup in Dhaka) were difficult for batsmen. The wickets in Kolkata and Mohali (where Pakistan are scheduled to play their league matches) are good for batting. Our main strength is our bowling, we can defend any score," he said.

Waqar also dismissed speculations regarding his uneasiness with captain, Shahid Afridi, terming the media reports about a rift between the two as baseless. "I feel sorry for the media for the way they (media) have speculated about my relationship with the captain. There have been no problems between us. We will work together as a team. We are all united and are looking forward to the tournament," the Pakistan coach said.

Lauding India's recent performances, Waqar added that it didn't mean that they were unbeatable. "We have an excellent record in Kolkata against them in Tests and ODIs. This is the first time we will play them in a T20I on that ground. They have been playing very well in recent times. We need to lift our game if we have to beat them," he reasoned.

Waqar also backed skipper, Afridi, who's been struggling for form in recent times and said that the best possible combination has been selected. Pakistan are grouped in a pool that also includes Australia, India, New Zealand and, possibly, Bangladesh. While agreeing that it was a tough pool, Waqar stressed on the fact that the team playing well on that day will emerge victorious. Playing in sub-continental conditions, he opined, will be an advantage for his side.

He also stressed on the balance of his team and said that all the departments have been well stocked. "We have three spinners, a host of good all-rounders and players who have performed well in the T20 format of the game," he said. "A score around 180-200 will be par on Indian conditions and we should bat in an aggressive manner. We have a practice match before the tournament proper, we will experiment in that game before settling upon the best possible combination" he signed off.