HAFEEZ CONFIDENT OF A 2-0 T20 SERIES WIN AGAINST INDIA CRICNEWSs
After comprehensively winning the first T20 International against India in Bangalore, Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez is confident his side will go on to win the second match as well to clinch the series 2-0.
After going three down with just 12 on the board in reply to India’s 133 for 9, the Pakistan team clawed its way back in the series opener, thumping the rampaging Indians by five wickets to take an unassailable one-nil lead in the two-match series. Skipper Hafeez (61) and experienced middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik (57 not out) led Pakistan’s fight back from the front, sharing a 106-run stand for the fourth wicket.
While speaking to media reporters on the eve of the second T20 International in Ahmedabad, Hafeez, the Man of the Match of the first T20, said that his players’ morale was quite high, and vowed to give their absolute best to win Friday’s game.
"The way we played the last match, our morale is quite high. The way the entire team bounced back in both batting and bowling, that was morale boosting for us and we will try to continue that tomorrow as well," Hafeez told reporters at the customary match-eve press conference on Thursday.
"We have the opportunity to win the series. We are all ready for this. Not just tomorrow's match, we are positive about the entire series. We are united [as a team] in this series and we want to play good cricket," he added further.
Hafeez, who has been consistently opening for Pakistan in the limited-overs formats of late, dropped himself to one-down position in the previous game, allowing Ahmed Shahzad to open alongside Nasir Jamshed. Asked, if it was not better for the tourists to move hard-hitting Shahid Afridi up in the order to open the innings for them, Hafeez said that they were promoting youngsters to the top of the order considering the future of Pakistan cricket.
"...We are promoting youngsters to bat at the top order, considering the future of our cricket," said the experienced all-rounder, who was given the reins of the national T20 side in May this year.
"He [Afridi] is always useful and he can play anywhere in the order. In the middle order, his contribution is always very good. He can finish the match or put pressure on the opposition in the last seven overs."
"I was also an opener. I have given the opportunity to the youngsters in this series, because they have the talent to serve Pakistan cricket for many years. They have been with us for the last four years. We are sure they will come up with some positive results for Pakistan in future," concluded Hafeez.
The two-match T20 series will be followed by three One Day Internationals between the nemeses, to be played at Chennai (December 30), Kolkata (January 3) and Delhi (January 6).
After comprehensively winning the first T20 International against India in Bangalore, Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez is confident his side will go on to win the second match as well to clinch the series 2-0.
After going three down with just 12 on the board in reply to India’s 133 for 9, the Pakistan team clawed its way back in the series opener, thumping the rampaging Indians by five wickets to take an unassailable one-nil lead in the two-match series. Skipper Hafeez (61) and experienced middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik (57 not out) led Pakistan’s fight back from the front, sharing a 106-run stand for the fourth wicket.
While speaking to media reporters on the eve of the second T20 International in Ahmedabad, Hafeez, the Man of the Match of the first T20, said that his players’ morale was quite high, and vowed to give their absolute best to win Friday’s game.
"The way we played the last match, our morale is quite high. The way the entire team bounced back in both batting and bowling, that was morale boosting for us and we will try to continue that tomorrow as well," Hafeez told reporters at the customary match-eve press conference on Thursday.
"We have the opportunity to win the series. We are all ready for this. Not just tomorrow's match, we are positive about the entire series. We are united [as a team] in this series and we want to play good cricket," he added further.
Hafeez, who has been consistently opening for Pakistan in the limited-overs formats of late, dropped himself to one-down position in the previous game, allowing Ahmed Shahzad to open alongside Nasir Jamshed. Asked, if it was not better for the tourists to move hard-hitting Shahid Afridi up in the order to open the innings for them, Hafeez said that they were promoting youngsters to the top of the order considering the future of Pakistan cricket.
"...We are promoting youngsters to bat at the top order, considering the future of our cricket," said the experienced all-rounder, who was given the reins of the national T20 side in May this year.
"He [Afridi] is always useful and he can play anywhere in the order. In the middle order, his contribution is always very good. He can finish the match or put pressure on the opposition in the last seven overs."
"I was also an opener. I have given the opportunity to the youngsters in this series, because they have the talent to serve Pakistan cricket for many years. They have been with us for the last four years. We are sure they will come up with some positive results for Pakistan in future," concluded Hafeez.
The two-match T20 series will be followed by three One Day Internationals between the nemeses, to be played at Chennai (December 30), Kolkata (January 3) and Delhi (January 6).
