From the beginning of the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Pakistan national cricket team is struggling continuously to perform well. However, Pakistan left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz is still confident on Pakistan’s chance to reach the final of this tournament.
Pakistan started this CWC edition with a thrashing seven-wicket defeat against Windies. In that game, Pakistan managed their second lowest completed total (105 runs) in Cricket World Cup history.
In their second game of this tournament, Pakistan brilliantly made a comeback by beating the strong home team England. It was a thrilling high-scoring contest that Pakistan won by 14 runs. Their third match of this tournament, which was against Sri Lanka, was abandoned due to the rain washout.
However, since then, Pakistan’s form has gone down hugely. In their next two matches, Pakistan suffered back-to-back defeats against Australia and India. While the defending champions Australia beat them by 41 runs, the arch-rival India handed them an 89-run defeat (DLS method).
After playing five matches in this tournament, Pakistan has earned only three points. Due to having a lower net run-rate, Pakistan is currently in the ninth position in the points table among the ten teams.
However, Wahab Riaz believes that Pakistan still can qualify for the semi-finals and even they can reach the final of the tournament. To qualify for the semi-finals of this tournament, Pakistan needs to win all their remaining matches along with some big margins.
Ahead of their sixth game of this tournament against South Africa, Riaz claimed, “We have to lift ourselves. We are each other’s strength. We are all good friends and know that only 15 of us can lift the team which not even our family members can do. Pakistan plays better under pressure and we will qualify for the finals and semi-finals.”
Our focus is on beating South Africa – Wahab Riaz
On Sunday (23rd June), Pakistan will face South Africa at Lord’s (London). South Africa is also struggling in the present time as they have also earned three points after playing six matches. At present, South Africa is standing just above the Pakistan national cricket team in the points table (eighth position).
Currently, Wahab Riaz and the Pakistan team are only focusing on beating South Africa.
He added, “Our focus is on beating South Africa, and we know we shouldn’t get ahead or think about the future. We need to go one by one by what to do every day. On what we do in the now and not what is happening elsewhere. We shouldn’t be thinking about the future.”
Execution of skills is everything
Talking about Pakistan and South Africa’s flop shows in this tournament, Riaz has pointed out the massive failing in executing skills.
Riaz believes that the team, who will handle the pressure better and play better, will finish as the winner during the upcoming match between Pakistan and South Africa.
He commented, “Execution of skills is everything. They have failed in that aspect as well like we did, we had matches we could have won. In this match, it depends on who handles pressure better and plays better. They will win.”
Riaz also believes that they will make up their mistakes soon in this tournament.
He added, “Good teams are those that discuss and talk about their mistakes openly to each other and we’ve done that. We will make up for our mistakes.”
The left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz suddenly earned the national team call-up for this Cricket World Cup after performing well in the domestic cricket. Before this tournament, he played his last ODI on 4th June 2017 against India at Birmingham. At present, Riaz is the second most wicket-taker for Pakistan in this tournament as he has taken five wickets.