LIVE update: http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 confident of defeating Kenya in today’s encounter – ICC World Cup 2011
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has stated that he is raring to have a go, ahead of the opening match of the World Cup for the men in green which is against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752 at Hambantota tomorrow.
He feels that his team would be under pressure yet he wants them to enjoy the occasion and give it their best shot against an opposition that is ranked amongst the minnows in the tournament. The Kenyans were trounced by 10 wickets by the
Kiwis at Chennai.
Afridi thinks that captaining Pakistan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 at a major event is no mean feat considering the expectations that are associated with the Asians who have been World Cup winners in the past.
"It's difficult to be the captain, in India or Pakistan it's difficult to handle it," he said with an old, worn smile. "Situations are tough at times but you have to come out of that, you have to give sacrifice at times, but my effort is
always that I do well as captain. It was difficult in the beginning, when we had all those issues, we had to rebuild, we had to lift the team again and that was affecting my performances but now our team is settled and we have a good combination”.
Afridi thinks that he has a good enough team to lift the title, however at the same time he conceded that they would have to work extra hard in all facets of the game if they are to topple the leading teams in the tournament.
The easy nature of the group round means that Pakistan is more or less guaranteed a spot in the knock out stage. Afridi though is not taking any team lightly and given the history of the Kenyan team; who made it to the semi-finals of the
2003 edition as well as toppling the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 in their maiden appearance back in 1996, cannot be dealt with complacently.
Meanwhile the man who holds the record for the fastest hundred in ODI cricket claimed that he was not too bothered about the observations of former or present cricketers who have been critical of his captaincy and handling the team in pressure
situations.
He stated that he wants to concentrate on the game itself and the performance of the team in the competition, he thinks that players are motivated and are looking forward to proving to the world that they are no pushovers and are serious
contenders for the title.
The captaincy debate did not bother him much at all. On the eve of the World Cup, speculations were rife that he would be replaced by middle-order batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ijaz-Butt-c64128 announced
him the captain after initially delaying his appointment.
"My chairman had already announced me captain for the World Cup but I never felt worried about whether I am the captain or not. I am enjoying my cricket both as captain and player. That is the main thing”, stated Afridi at a packed media
conference at Hambantota.
Afridi is expected to lead a first eleven for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758.
The day and night match would be a test of the abilities of the Pakistanis especially if they are asked to bat second under lights.
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