Waqar hopeful that Pakistan will qualify for Champions Trophy 2017

Former Pakistan pacer and current Pakistan Cricket team’s head coach Waqar Younis remains hopeful that Pakistan will qualify for the 2017 Champions Trophy.

The latest ICC rankings is bound to give rise to an interesting battle developing for qualification for the 2017 Champions Trophy. The top seven sides in the world, plus hosts England, will be competing at the next 50-overs tournament and the cut-off date for qualification is September 30, 2015.

Pakistan is placed 9th in the rankings with 87 points, while Bangladesh, who whitewashed Pakistan 3-0 few days back in their home, are placed 8th with 88 points.To make the qualification process more tricky and complicated, West Indies is placed 7th in the rankings, while they have as many points as Bangladesh. So all the three teams are contenders for playing in the Champions Trophy 2017. 

Pakistan will be playing next with Sri Lanka in the latter’s home soil. A series of 3 Test matches, 5 One-Day Internationals and 2 T20 matches are scheduled to be played. It’s a do or die situation for the men in green who have to defeat the lions in their den, if they want to play in the Champions Trophy.

The good news for Pakistan is that The West Indies currently have no ODIs scheduled between now and September 30, leaving them potentially vulnerable to Pakistan, who have 5 away matches in Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have 3 against India and South Africa, all at home.

Waqar said that they have set targets for Tests as well as one-day series, insisting that he is confident they would qualify for the Champions Trophy, the Dawn reported.Recently Pakistan have claimed a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe at home last month since Waqar assumed charge as the head coach.Waqar admitted that there’s always pressure being a coach, and cited the absence of Saeed Ajmal among others as the biggest factor for Pakistan’s slump.

Lets wait and see what can Waqar and his boys can deliver!