Once a dominant giant is now lingering somewhere among the underdogs. This has been the apt case of Pakistan, as the troubled side has witnessed tremendous agony in the last couple of years. Hovering and rotating around the eighth and ninth spot in the ICC ODI Team Rankings, Pakistan have been at an all-time low in this particular format. The upcoming ODI series against the West Indies offers some redemption before the Champions Trophy in England.
Dashing wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed was recently appointed the captain of the ODI team after Azhar Ali stepped down owing to a disastrous series Down Under, where his side was thrashed 4-1. Sarfaraz, right after taking charge, has clearly sent a stern message to the experienced individuals, stating no one should take their place for granted.
“In the T20 format we might have a relatively young bowling side but in ODIs we have three senior bowlers – Amir, Wahab and Junaid Khan,” he said.
We have spoken to them and reminded them that they are seniors, have played ample cricket, and now have to step up,” Sarfaraz added.
“We are working on fielding but with our bowling department we need to take wickets with new ball and in middle overs. We have worked very hard in the camp and now I am hopeful that they will make a difference in the West Indies and help Pakistan win with their bowling.
“I understand that over the last two years Pakistan’s performance in ODI cricket hasn’t been good. We have been trying really hard to minimize our mistakes. There were some flaws, especially in the fielding department, and we have been working hard to iron them out. We were scoring 280 to 290 but then dropping catches in the field, and this was hurting our chances. We are aware how important World Cup qualification is, so our focus is on winning the series and strengthening our position,” he concluded.