Pakistan’s captain cool MISBAH-Ul-HAQ says the clash with India this Sunday is not difficult cricket-wise but difficult expectation-wise. He answered email queries by Meenakshi Rao before landing in Australia for the World Cup. Excerpts
You kick off your campaign in this World Cup with a match against defending champions India. How do you fancy your chances in this matchIJ
It’s tough to say that we will definitely win. I would rather say we will do our best to win. Everyone wants us to win and there is always a first time.So,we are confident that this time history will change. A match against India is always different because of the involvement of fans. It is a difficult match because we don’t get to play India more than we, say, play Sri lanka. There are huge expectations and so the added pressure. It is not difficult cricket wise, but difficult expectation wise.
Virat Kohli or Rohit SharmaIJ Who is a bigger threat to your bowlersIJ
I think we have to bowl well against India because they are a good batting side. I can’t single out Kohli, Rohit or Dhoni. They are all dangerous and if anyone of them stays long enough they can score 150 plus. We have to pay attention to all batsmen and can’t target only one. The kind of form Suresh Raina is in I am sure he can create problems and so is Rahane. They are all good so we have to bowl well against them.
Coach Waqar Younis recently said it is good that Pakistan is not starting as favourites. Do you agree with him and do you think the squad is a little slim on experienceIJ
We may not be a very experienced side with only four of us having played one-day matches in Australia.If you look at our recent performances, probably we are not favourites either. But if you take into account that the team which plays well on that day wins, then all the eight top teams are favourites to win the World Cup. Even the number nine and ten teams can put pressure on a given day. We are a good team and if we play to our potential we can beat any team in the world.
Pakistan’s main weapon Saeed Ajmal is not in the squad. Umar Gul is absent too. Do you think Pakistan’s main strength — its arms department — is depletedIJ
We had to get over the absence of Ajmalso we have. It was difficult because the way he had led our bowling it was a big void, but you can lose your best player through injury and if you keep on saying that you are missing him then it doesn’t work. Bowlers who we have been selected will help us overcome that. Yasir Shah can be a surprise package and although he is not as experienced as Ajmal, I am sure he will do his best. Shahid (Afridi) has played in Australia before so we expect him to lead the spin attack. It was disappointing and tough to leave out Gul but selectors felt he was not fit.
You have just recovered from an injury. How difficult it is to return from injury just before such a high pressure tournamentIJ
It is difficult and a rare thing to have happened to me. I have never been unfit but injuries are part and parcel of the game. I am confident of my fitness now and thankfully get four matches (two warm-up and two ODIs) in New Zealand and then two more warm-ups in Australia to further test my fitness.
As captain, what kind of pressures are you dealing with in leading the squad and keeping your batting intactIJ
Pressure is always there in international cricket but in the last few years, in fact since I started leading the side, I have learnt to mix both responsibilities and am now used to my dual job.
Imran Khan lifted the World Cup trophy in 1992 in Australia-New Zealand. Do you think the present Pakistani squad has it in it to do the sameIJ
It surely can. If we play to our potential we can achieve the best results. I have told my players, ‘win or lose, play to your potential and focus on doing your best’. They have the hunger and the passion to do the best.
Tell us more about the preparations for the World Cup and your areas of concern.
Our team has been playing continuously for the last five-six months. We played Australia and New Zealand and now had a training camp. We will play some six to seven matches in New Zealand and Australia so it’s a good preparation. Players are fresh because we had gaps so the preparation is good.
Shahid Afridi will retire after the World Cup. Your views on his presence in the squad in what will be the last World Cup for him.
He is an impact player. On his day, he can do anything with the bat or ball. I look forward to some good performances from him. He is a very passionate cricketer and will do his best to make his last ODI assignment a memorable one. He did very well in the last series against New Zealand so I am quite confident that he will do well in this one too.
Your views on Shoaib Malik not being in the squad as compared to newbie Haris Sohail, whose claim to fame is his bowling against New Zealand on the slow wickets of UAE. Australian pitches are another ball game altogether...
Haris is a newcomer so there is no comparison. Malik was among the 30-man squad but could not make the cut. Haris has worked really hard at nets and will meet our expectations as a bowler.