Shahid Afridi confident as Pakistan takes on http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752 today in World Cup opener at Hambantota
1992 World champions Pakistan start their campaign in the ICC World Cup, 2011 with a match against Kenya at Hambantota today.
The men in green, fresh from a series win over http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 are aiming to carry on their momentum and go deep into the 14-nation tournament where they are being ranked by many as the dark horses.
They are up against a team that was decimated by the Black Caps in their opening match at Chennai; that match was over in just over two hours as the appalling total of 69 by the African team was chased down by the Black Caps in a mere 8 overs.
Despite Kenya’s poor show, they cannot be taken lightly by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751, which led to their exit in the very first round.
The game against Kenya would be a test of their resolve especially if the Africans withstand the pressure of playing a leading test nation. Pakistan captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 though, is confident of the talent in his ranks but admitted that the pressure to succeed
was enormous on him and his troops.
“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. I think in my 13-14 year career, we haven't done as much hard work as we are doing now,” he said.
Pakistan are set to play their best team in the match; they want to build a combination that can carry them to the knock-out stage of the mega tournament.
Their recent successes have been without playing a front line spinner and more of the same is expected, at least in the game against Kenya.
Despite having Saeed Ajmal and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Hafeez-c1999 for slow bowling options.
Other than the spin department the bowling line-up is expected to bank on the exploits of Shoaib Akhtar, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Abdur-Razzaq-c41689.
The four pacers would be hoping to pin down the inexperience Kenyans who found the pace of the Kiwi attack too hot to handle on a benign Chennai wicket in their first match.
The team that wins the toss would be aiming to bat first and post a big total on the batting friendly wicket.
Pakistan (probable) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Ahmad Shahzad, 3 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdur Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Shoaib Akhtar
Kenya (probable) 1 http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nehemiah-Odhiambo-c79044
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