Don’t count Pakistan out: Shahid Afridi

DHAKA: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Saturday warned World Cup rivals not to underestimate his team, saying the players had turned a new leaf after the match-fixing scandal.
Afridi admitted Pakistan had been blown away by the scandal, which saw former captain Salman Butt and two leading pacemen, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, punished for their alleged involvement.
All three were banned for a minimum of five years by the International Cricket Council, which ruled them out of the World Cup, and also face criminal proceedings in England.
“I think we’re really going through a very tough situation,” Afridi told reporters in the Bangladeshi capital ahead of the marquee tournament opening on February 19.
“But I am very happy because we are trying to rebuild the team and keep the morale high. I am confident the team is in very good shape now.
“We all know how important the World Cup is for us and for our country. The message for other teams is that no one should underestimate us.”
Afridi’s team will play practice matches against Bangladesh and England in Dhaka over the next few days, before their first Cup match against Kenya in the Sri Lankan town of Hambantota on February 23.
The Pakistan captain said his team was “focused and united” under his leadership.
“They feel hungry to win a big event and want to play good cricket,” he said, adding recent wins in New Zealand had bolstered the team’s morale.
“We have a very good bunch of youngsters and some experienced players,” said Afridi.
“It is good to see Kamran Akmal back in the team. Misbah-ul Haq is in good form and Younis Khan is also batting well.
“I am also very happy with our bowling. We have two genuine spinners and some good fast bowlers, especially Shoaib Akhtar.”
Afridi said fans would see a vastly improved Pakistan in the World Cup.
“Inshallah (God willing), we will achieve our goal,” he said.
Afridi paid tribute to manager Intikhab Alam and coach Waqar Yunus for keeping the team in good spirits amid the controversy.
“They are really doing a very good job,” he said.
“They have assured the atmosphere in the dressing room is healthy. We are trying to keep the boys together as a unit.”
Pakistan was initially due to co-host the tournament with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, but were stripped of hosting rights after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team in March, 2009.
Afridi said he hoped international cricket would return to his country soon.
“We are desperate to host the best teams. I am sure that will happen in the near future.”
Pakistan, World Cup winners in 1992, have been drawn with reigning champions Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Canada in group A of the preliminary league.
Four teams from the group will advance to the quarter-finals.
Afridi said he wanted Pakistan to meet India in the April 2 final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.
“That would be the perfect final for the cricket-loving people in both countries,” he said.

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United Pakistan seek World Cup glory

Shahid Afridi has laid down the markers for those who would underestimate Pakistan in this World Cup. They are, he said, the 'most dangerous side in the World Cup', and has pointed to the mix of youth and experience that has drawn parallels, however tenuous, with the side that won the tournament almost 20 years ago.

"We all know how important the competition is for my country," Afridi said in his first World Cup press conference in Mirpur. "This is a message for the other teams: No one can underestimate us. And when I said dangerous, [I meant] don't underestimate the Pakistan team. We are with a very good bunch of youngsters and experienced players. It is good to see Kamran Akmal back in the team, Misbah [ul-Haq] too is in good form and so is Younis [Khan]. We also have two genuine spinners and a fast bowler like Shoaib Akhtar."

While Imran Khan did not have to rebuild a side ravaged by controversy, there are a few similarities between this Afridi-led team and the triumphant side of 1992. Imran was missing a devastating opening bowler in an injured Waqar Younis, and his team also had a mix of young talent and experience.

Afridi, though lacking Imran's tactical nous, is capable of firing up his side and after their twin success in New Zealand last month (1-0 in Tests and 3-2 in ODIs); they are high on confidence and team spirit. "Pitches around the world are very similar. I think as we performed well in New Zealand conditions, we'll feel more confident on Asian tracks.

"We've gone through a very tough situation. As a captain I'm very happy because we were trying to rebuild the team and boost its morale. The team has gelled. We keep these (controversial) issues out of the team and we are focused on the cricket … We played well in New Zealand and the boys are united and they feel hungry."

Afridi also offered praise for the job done by the team's coach, Waqar Younis, and manager, Intikhab Alam, in keeping everyone together. "I, Inti bhai and Waqar Younis are trying to keep the team as a unit. Our dressing room atmosphere is much better. We are trying to keep the boys as close as we can and Alhamdulillah, we are being very successful."

In the same way as the 1992 team was practically built for Australian conditions, the 2011 version has enough versatility to conquer the subcontinent. But after the country was stripped of their rights to host the World Cup in 2009, it is an easy question to ask Afridi. Is the team happy playing in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and possibly India? Afridi didn't hesistate: "We have very good support in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. [And] if we win the World Cup, it would be a good message for world cricket that we want to play cricket, and maybe next time it will be held in Pakistan as well."

He admits being named World Cup captain just two weeks before the event (exactly one week ago) was difficult, but Afridi said he was "focusing on my performance. I am always enjoying my role as a captain and as a player so I didn't take it very seriously."

When the possibility of playing a certain opponent in the final was raised, his jaded face broke into a smile. "It would be great to see Pakistan and India in the final." If things go the way Pakistan expect, he will be asked this one question over and over again.

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Junaid Khan

Full name Mohammad Junaid Khan

Born December 24, 1989, Matra, North-West Frontier Province

Current age 21 years 49 days

Major teams Abbottabad, Abbottabad Rhinos,Pakistan Under-19s

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Left-arm medium-fast

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
First-class	35	47	16	419	71	13.51			0	2			6	0
List A	27	21	6	158	32	10.53			0	0			2	0
Twenty20	12	5	2	15	7	5.00	20	75.00	0	0	1	1	4	0

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
First-class	35	63	7110	3562	167	7/46	13/77	21.32	3.00	42.5	6	13	3
List A	27	27	1302	1056	37	4/16	4/16	28.54	4.86	35.1	2	0	0
Twenty20	12	12	258	264	11	2/11	2/11	24.00	6.13	23.4	0	0	0

Career statistics

First-class debut	Multan v Abbottabad at Multan, Jan 24-27, 2007
Last First-class	Abbottabad v Quetta at Abbottabad, Dec 4-7, 2010
List A debut	Abbottabad Rhinos v Hyderabad Hawks at Islamabad, Feb 17, 2007
Last List A	Abbottabad Falcons v Pakistan Television at Swabi, Jan 22, 2011
Twenty20 debut	Abbottabad Rhinos v Lahore Eagles at Karachi, Dec 21, 2006
Last Twenty20	West Indies A v Pakistan A at North Sound, Nov 6, 2010

Profile

At U-19 level Junaid Khan was among of a crop of the most promising young fast bowlers in recent years, alongside Mohammad Amir. Good pace and better stamina and an ability to move the ball around if the conditions are right, Khan finally made it to national contention whehan is from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and has built up an impressive domestic career with Abbottabad, for whom he debuted in January 2007. The record acquires greater sheen given that Abbottabad are among the weaker sides on the circuit. Those performances have led him to Pakistan A selection, for whom he has been impressive in two series now, never less than when taking nine wickets in a 'Test' against Sri Lanka A in Hambantota in September 2010.n he was called up for Pakistan's 2011 World Cup squad as a late replacement for Sohail Tanvir.

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So what if Imran Khan picked India?

I respectfully disagree with Muhammad Khanani’s post“Where is Imran Khan’s patriotism?” in which he criticises former cricketer Imran Khan’s for predicting that the Indian team will gain World Cup victory and stating that Indian cricketer Dhoni was the “best player”.

Khan picked India because they seem to be in good form to win the World Cup. Undoubtedly, as Pakistanis we all want our team to win. However, saying that South Africa, Australia or any other country may win based on the team’s recent performances is not wrong. This is not a show of Khan’s indifference towards Pakistan.

During the World Cup 2003 in South Africa, Pakistan played against England and analysts speculated the outcome of the match.  Before the match, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar answered this question by saying:

“My heart says Pakistan will win because they (the English) ruled us for many years, but my mind says England because they seem to be a balanced side right now.”

Hence, it is not unusual for players to make predictions before a tournament.

Undermining Team Green’s confidence

To some extent, I agree that picking Pakistan instead of India could have boosted our team’s morale. But this does not mean that Pakistan will now suffer from an inferiority complex.

Afridi’s boys are not dependent on Khan’s statements alone. The thing they needed most before the World Cup was their victory against New Zealand. This important win came at a time when Pakistan cricket is surrounded with controversies.

The fact that they managed to beat New Zealand despite the crises shows that nothing can undermine the team’s confidence and that they will not take Khan’s statement to heart.

Moreover, even if the whole world is picking countries other than Pakistan, our lions in green will still go on the ground in high spirits and unleash hell on their opposition. No matter who the pick is, when it comes to unpredictability, Pakistan is always the winner.

Khan’s comment about Dhoni

No matter what country you are from, there are some players whom everyone loves to watch.  Sachin Tendulkar. Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi are players that have fans all over the world. People have also praised Micheal Hussey as a match winner and said Collingwood is tough when the team is in a crisis.

If Tendulkar is asked whom he thinks is the best fast bowler he has ever played, he will definitely say Wasim Akram. Does this mean that he has no jazba for his team?

M S Dhoni is a good player and the best wicket keeper India has ever had.  The way he has united his players is commendable.

Khan’s statement about Dhoni being the best player doesn’t mean that his love for his home country is lacking. Imran Khan has already proven his jazba with his brilliant captaincy when he took Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup.

Imran Khan’s words are honest and match his actions – he too, has a right to have opinions.

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Afridi wants to meet India in World Cup final

 LAHORE: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said Thursday he hoped to meet India in the World Cup final, saying the match would boost international cricket and draw billions of viewers.

“There is a possibility that Pakistan and India play the final of the World Cup and if that happens it would be ideal for the World Cup, one-day format and for the game of cricket,” Afridi told AFP.
The arch-rivals are in separate groups at the 14-team World Cup, hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka starting on February 19.
The top four teams from each group meet in the quarter-final and Afridi said he hoped India and Pakistan would avoid each other until the April 2 final.
“Both India and Pakistan have to play above their potential to reach the final but it would be ideal for billions of people around the world,” said Afridi, who will be playing his fourth World Cup.
Pakistan have yet to beat India in four World Cup clashes.
India beat Pakistan by 39 runs in a highly charged quarter-final at Bangalore in the 1996 Cup.
The two have not played each other outside tournaments since gunmen went on the rampage in Mumbai in 2008, killing 166 people and severing peace talks after New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistani-based militants.
The pair met in the Champions Trophy in South Africa in 2009, however, where Pakistan beat India – the last international match between them.
Afridi said beating their arch-rivals in the Mumbai final would be the “icing on the cake.”
“We would love to beat India in India and in a World Cup match because we have never done this before and this could be a great motivation,” said Afridi.
Playing down any possible security threat during the World Cup, Afridi said: “People of both the nations love cricket and I don’t see any threat.
“But yes, if the atmosphere is highly charged it would definitely spur both the teams on and bring out the best in the players from both the sides.”
Cricket has the power to unite both nations, he said.
“I know that this beautiful game has the charm and the power to bring the nations closer,” he said.
“What we have seen in the past is an ample proof of that. When India came here in 2004, people from both sides came closer and when we toured India we were welcomed by their people, so it’s a mutual love for the game.”
Expressing hope that the two nations resume cricketing ties, Afridi said billions of cricket fans are missing a “big thing”.
The captain, coach Waqar Younis and manager Intikhab Alam later addressed a farewell press conference in the eastern city of Lahore.
“I think it’s an open tournament with no one favourite team,” said Afridi.
“I think India is one of the top favourites. South Africa has been playing well and Australia can still win,” said the Pakistan captain.
Waqar said he felt his team could also triumph.
“If you ask me, this team has the potential to win. For sure they have the potential to win the World Cup,” he said.
“The main thing is to give it your best and the best results will come.”
Pakistan fly out to Dhaka early Friday to play warm-up matches against England and Bangladesh.
Pakistan open their World Cup campaign against Kenya at Sri Lankan town of Hambantota on February 23.

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ICC publishes edited version of spot-fixing ruling

DUBAI: The ICC has published on its website an edited and encrypted 102-page version of the final determination of the independent tribunal that handed out its verdict on February 5 after the spot-fixing hearings in Doha.

However, in light of the Crown Prosecution Service's recent decision to pursue criminal charges against the three banned players - Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif - the judgement will not be available to readers in England and Wales.

To others, the version available online is in a read-only format and will be available for a period of only seven days.

"It is the ICC's intention to be as transparent an organisation as is feasible and to publish all its reports and findings for the benefit of stakeholders," ICC chief Haroon Lorgat said.

"Publishing the full written determination of the tribunal is clearly in the best interest of cricket." The tribunal, too, had recommended a full disclosure However, their hands have been forced by legal considerations.

The determination came with a clear warning, prohibiting the publication or dissemination of the determination within England and Wales. It also laid out that any attempt to access it from within England and Wales would be deemed unlawful, and could invite legal action.

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Pakistan, the king of tumultuous WC preparations

ISLAMABAD: When it comes to tumultuous preparations for the World Cup, Pakistan is in a league of its own.
Only last week, key players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were each banned for a minimum of five years after the International Cricket Council found them guilty of spot fixing in a scandal that has plagued Pakistan cricket since a British newspaper expose last August.
The loss of those players and the tension surrounding the investigation have seriously damaged Pakistan’s team composition for the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh.
“It was important that the whole issue should have been finished before the World Cup starts and I am pleased that it all has just gone down the drain,” Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said. “Hopefully we can start fresh …. and deliver good in the World Cup.”
Former chief selector Iqbal Qasim supported the current selection panel, saying “it will be tough to fill in the shoes of three suspended players, but the selectors have picked up the best possible squad.”
Pakistan was originally slated as a World Cup co-host, but was stripped of those rights after a deadly terror attack on the Sri Lankan team’s bus en route to a test match at Lahore in March 2009. Six police officers and a bus driver were killed, while some of the Sri Lankan players and a coach sustained minor injuries.
And that came only two years after a disastrous 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, when coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room the morning after Pakistan’s shocking loss to Ireland put them out of contention in the first round. Jamaican police started a murder investigation, but medical experts later ruled that Woolmer died of natural causes.
Pakistan will receive financial compensation for every match it was originally scheduled to host during the Feb. 19-April 2 World Cup, but nothing will compensate homeground advantage. The Pakistanis play the group stage in Sri Lanka, but they’re used to playing away _ since the Lahore attacks, Pakistan has played all its international cricket abroad.
Pakistan won the World Cup for the only time in 1992, when the great allrounder Imran Khan led the team to victory in Australia. Wasim Akram’s team came close to repeating that in 1999 before a lopsided loss to Australia in the final at Lord’s.
Since then, it has been plagued by inconsistency.
Selectors didn’t even settle on a captain for the World Cup until last week _ the only country to submit a team by tournament deadline without specifying a leader.
Shahid Afridi was later confirmed as captain, but only after securing an ODI series in New Zealand. Pakistan subsequently lost the final match of the series and finished ahead 3-2.
Former captain Zaheer Abbas, who played in the first three World Cups before retiring in 1985, urges people to keep their expectations in check: “It’s not that strong team.”
“We should not expect much from them, but then in 1992 we were almost out of the event and went on to win it,” Abbas said.
“So I can only hope we do well this time.”
Pakistan is Group A and unless there is another slump like there was in 2007, few could argue against it reaching the quarterfinals.
Three-time defending champion Australia is favorite to top the group, with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand also expected to advance. Zimbabwe and 2003 semifinalist Kenya and Canada are also in the seven-team group.
Pakistan’s strength is likely to be in the middle order, where hard hitting Afridi and Abdul Razzaq are the most capable utilizing the five-over batting powerplays, but it all depends whether the top order preserves wickets.
The axing of experienced three-time World Cup veteran Mohammad Yousuf has weakened the batting lineup further, leaving former captain Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq to grind out most of the middle overs and shoulder the load of carrying the team to challenging totals.
Except for Younis and Misbah there’s not much experience in the top order.
Opening batsman Mohammad Hafeez is one of the seven Pakistan players who have experience of playing in the World Cups. Hafeez has been in and out of national selection and has played just 64 ODIs in eight years. His opening partner Ahmed Shehzad has played just nine ODIs.
Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal was tested at No. 3 during the series against New Zealand and he could give his younger brother Umar Akmal, Younis and Misbah some backup.
The selectors have gambled on Shoaib Akhtar, the injury-prone 35-year-old fast bowler who clocked a world record 161.3 kph delivery during the World Cup eight years ago but is in the final stages of his 13-year international career.
Akhtar’s career has been hit by doping scrunch games.
Younis could not make it to the 1992 World Cup due to injury, and then failed to lead Pakistan to the Super Sixes in South Africa in 2003 when he was the captain.
But this time around maybe, as a coach.

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Positive starts, teamwork crucial in WC matches: Afridi

KARACHI: Pakistan’s limited-overs skipper Shahid Afridi has said that his team needs to take robust starts both in bowling and batting in order to excel in the all-important World Cup, now just days away.
“We need strong, positive beginning in every game — both in bowling and batting — so that we can build on those to produce wins on consistent basis in the mega event,” Afridi said while talking to Dawn on Wednesday.
Afridi was retained as national captain for the all-important World Cup just a few days ago after the belligerent all-rounder led his brigade to triumph in the New Zealand one-day series.
Since last year, he had been under severe criticism from various quarters over captaincy as well as his individual performance. However, he ultimately managed to pull his charges together against the Kiwis besides improving his individual show in the six-match series.
Asked to pinpoint the areas where his side required to improve, Afridi stressed that exploitation of power-play could prove crucial in the Feb 19-April 2 spectacle where Pakistan will meet Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the first round.
“Proper utilisation of power-play is vital, both by the batsmen and the bowlers. Our batsmen must score quick runs in those power-plays while bowlers are naturally expected to contain the opposition at crucial stages when field restrictions are on,” said Afridi, a veteran of 312 ODIs.
Describing his relationship with his deputy Misbah-ul-Haq as perfect and brotherly, Afridi earnestly requested the media to avoid creating needless controversies that may damage his team’s campaign in the forthcoming World Cup.
On being asked to pick any specific match-winning batsman or bowler for the mega event, the captain candidly said the performance of the entire squad was crucial.
“Every player has to come out and deliver and all my team members are equally important for me and for the result we seek. Depending entirely on one or two players in the World Cup would be detrimental,” he emphasised.
Commenting on his team’s likely opening pair in the quadrennial event, Afridi asserted that Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shahzad, who opened the proceedings in the New Zealand ODIs, would continue in the same role with Kamran Akmal to come at number three.
Responding on whether seasoned all-rounder Abdul Razzaq should come up the order to increase the tempo of the innings, he reckoned it was better if players like Razzaq and himself came to the crease after 40-over mark with a decent total already achieved. “In this way our team can attack more productively in death overs.”
Afridi, who made his first World Cup appearance in the 1999 event in England, only expressed a brief reaction on the recent spot-fixing bans the ICC imposed on Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Asif, by terming them as “very regrettable”.
The upcoming World Cup will be Afridi’s fourth.

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Banned Butt to be TV expert for World Cup

LAHORE: Former Pakistan cricket captain Salman Butt, banned for 10 years this week by an anti-corruption tribunal, said Wednesday he had signed up to give expert TV commentary at the World Cup.
Butt was banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) along with pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer following spot-fixing charges related to the Lord’s Test against England last August.
The 26-year-old Butt will give expert views for Pakistan’s Channel 5 station at the the World Cup.
“I have signed a contract with a television channel to do expert commentary,” Butt told AFP.
“As I am not playing in the event I thought it was worth participating as an expert.” A representative of Channel 5 confirmed to AFP the broadcaster had signed Butt.
Butt, who played 78 ODIs for Pakistan, scoring 2,725 runs at an average of 36.82, said he wanted to continue to be involved in the game despite the ban.
“My career is with cricket and I will play cricket, just for the World Cup I want to turn as expert,” said Butt, who hopes the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the ICC do not object on his new role.

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Sohail Tanvir dropped from World Cup squad replacement junaid khan

KARACHI: Sohail Tanvir was on Wednesday, dropped from Pakistan’s World Cup squad after being declared unfit by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
“The medical panel thinks that though the recovery was good, it still thought Tanvir needs time to get fully fit before competing at international level,” the PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan is replacing Tanvir with left-arm paceman Junaid Khan, 21, who started with the Under-19s alongside promising teenage quick Mohammad Amir.
It will be Khan’s debut for the senior Pakistan squad, although he has impressed selectors by amassing 167 wickets in just 35 first-class matches.
Tanvir, meanwhile, protested the decision, saying he is fully fit and prepared for cricket’s showpiece event.
He returned to the Pakistan squad for the tour of New Zealand after recovering from a chronic knee injury, which kept him in out of the national side for two years.
Pakistan play their first match of the World Cup on February 23, against Kenya, while they face Bangladesh on February 15 in a warm-up match in Mirpur.

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There must be a lesson for me in all of this: Amir

LONDON: Pakistan quick Mohammad Amir has promised to come back from the “worst day of my life” after receiving a five-year ban from cricket for his part in a spot-fixing scandal.
An International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption tribunal in Doha on Saturday also handed out longer bans to former Pakistan captain Salman Butt and seamer Mohammad Asif for the roles they played in bowling deliberate no-balls during last year’s Test against England at Lord’s.
Britain’s News of the World tabloid alleged the three cricketers had colluded in a betting scam organised by UK-based agent Mazhar Majeed.
Prior to the scandal, Amir was regarded as one of the hottest properties in world cricket after the teenage left-arm quick had troubled both Australia and England with some superb displays of swing bowling.
And the thought that at the age of 18 his career might be over was almost too much for Amir to comprehend.
“What can I say about my feelings?,” Amir told the BBC on Monday.
“When someone is seeing in front of him the end of his future, his career, then that is the worst day of one’s life.
“Cricket is the most important thing in my life because I left my studies for cricket, I was so passionate about it.
“My entire family depends on me and I depend upon cricket so the entire thing will be upset by this decision.
“We (Amir and his lawyer) have the option to appeal which we will exercise.
“About the future, I will never lose hope. I have never done that in my life.
“I firmly believe that in all adversity something good always comes out.
“I’ll always take it as something which will propel me to do better and I’ll do everything in my power to make a strong comeback.
“I have firm faith that God must have some lessons for me to learn from all of this, like in a player’s career when he has a bad patch, I’ll take it in the same way and I’ll try to work hard, make a comeback, and learn good things out of these bad days.”
Butt too has indicated he wishes to appeal but Asif on Monday was still considering his options, according to a statement issued by his London-based lawyers, Addleshaw Goddard.

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Cornered Pakistan face a mountainous task

KARACHI: With three key players banned for corruption and their homeland a no-go zone for international cricket, Pakistan face a mighty challenge if they are to win a second World Cup.
That’s the view of Imran Khan, the legendary captain who led his country to the 1992 world title.
He believes that the bans handed out to opener Salman Butt and new-ball bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer will hit Pakistan’s chances.
“Without Amir and Asif – currently two of the world’s best bowlers – our attack is not potent,” Imran told AFP.
Pakistan’s build-up to the World Cup has not only been marred by the spot-fixing scandal, but also by the uncertainty over the selection of wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal, former captain Shoaib Malik and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.
All have been under suspicion but only Kamran got clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), while the other two were not selected in the 15-man squad.
To make matters worse, the PCB delayed naming the captain for two weeks, raising doubts that one-day captain Shahid Afridi may be replaced with Test skipper Misbah-ul Haq.
It was only after Pakistan won their recent one-day series in New Zealand 3-2 that Afridi was retained.
But Imran still believes Pakistan can surprise if they play above their potential.
“Pakistan are a very unpredictable side,” he said.
“They will have to play out of the ordinary to make a mark at the World Cup.
“I fail to understand why they delayed naming the captain because Afridi is the only player who can pull the team together, both as player and as captain.”
Former spinner Iqbal Qasim said Pakistan can shake up the whole tournament.
“Pakistan are the only team in the world who can do anything, shake up the whole tournament by beating any top team and can also give a 440-volt jolt to their fans by going down to any team,” said Qasim.
Pakistan’s build-up for the 2003 and 2007 World Cups was similarly chaotic,
resulting in first round exits on both occasions.
Despite having a balanced squad, Pakistan lost to minnows Ireland in the West Indies four years ago.
A day after the shock defeat, their English coach Bob Woolmer died at the team’s hotel in Jamaica in mysterious circumstances.
Jamaican police initially treated the death as murder and questioned the Pakistani players before declaring Woolmer had died of natural causes.
Afridi is hoping for a less-chaotic World Cup this time around.
“We have our full attention focused on the World Cup,” said Afridi, who played only one match in the 2007 World Cup because of a ban.
“We have a balanced team and if we play to our potential nothing is impossible.”
Without experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf, not selected due to a lack of fitness, and Shoaib Malik, Pakistan’s batting looks fragile.
Veteran batsman Younis Khan will be the mainstay in a line-up which has exciting talents in Umar Akmal, Ahmed Shahzad and Asad Shafiq.
Former captain Wasim Akram believes Afridi and Abdul Razzaq hold the key.
“If the top order gives Afridi and Razzaq a good platform, then they can be ruthless in the death overs,” said Wasim, who also termed bowling as the weak link.
Controversial paceman Shoaib Akhtar has a last chance to bow out on a high.
He missed the last World Cup in the wake of a doping ban and fitness problems.
Umar Gul, Sohail Tanveer, Wahab Riaz and Razzaq can share the new ball with off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and left-armer Abdul Rehman will assist spinning all-rounders Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez.
“After the first stage, it’s anybody’s game and when it comes to knock-out matches, Pakistan can knock any team out on their day – they are a very dangerous team,” said Wasim.

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