Akram full of confidence (10 March 1999)

10 March 1999

Akram full of confidence

Hasan Masood

Pakistan captain Wasim Akram asserted there was nothing planned to let Sri Lanka earn seven bonus points in the drawn Lahore Test at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium to allow the islanders in and keep the Indians out of the Dhaka final.

The bespectacled tall Pakistan skipper was talking to a host of reporters upon his team's arrival in the city yesterday morning to play the final of the inaugural Asian Test Championship against Sri Lanka.

The Test match is scheduled for a March 12 start at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Pakistan team manager Miah Mohammad Munir was also present at the short press briefing that took place while other team members were rushing to their hotel rooms to catch as much sleep as possible after a hectic journey from mid-Monday night.

"It's a wrong concept here - everywhere - in India specially. We just went there and planned to play positive cricket. We wanted to get our four points in 100 overs and that's what we did with our bowling. And the reason I didn't bowl during the game so much was because I had a very strenuous three-month. And Saqlain was also not well at that time," said Akram.

"I bowled a lot of overs in the Indian series so I needed a bit of break. I needed my two young fast bowlers to have bowled and they did bowl. And this was the game where I could have been rested - sort of just relax - and I did relax - and that was it. There was nothing planned to give the points away like this at all," he said.

"We all are very excited to be here to play the final. We, I think, the Pakistan team did very well in the Asian Test Championship and I think they deserve to be in the final," said the tired Pakistan captain.

"I think the Sri Lankans are a real talented side and you can't predict that Pakistan will win easily - not at all. Aravinda is one of the best batsmen in the world and Chaminda Vaas is a very good bowler. I think in the final you have to be very careful against Sri Lanka. They can be a dangerous side. So, Pakistan is looking forward to the final and they are ready to work hard like they did on the India tour," said Akram while giving his reaction on the inclusion of the two Sri Lankans in the squad.

About his expectation from the Dhaka wicket, Akram said that his team would like to have a good Test wicket and he was aware that the wickets in Dhaka were quite good.

"We played Wills Cup about four months ago and the wicket looked quite good. Hopefully there will be a little more grass, a bit more hard this time, then it will be a good wicket," Akram added.

Akram was not at all influenced by the superstition that Dhaka had never been a lucky ground for Pakistan.

"As far as myself is concerned, I thought Lahore was never a lucky ground for me. But that proved wrong and hopefully Dhaka too will become a lucky ground for Pakistan," said a confident Akram.

About his own hat trick against Sri Lanka, Akram said he was very proud and honoured to become the first Pakistani to earn a hat trick in Test cricket.

"It is any bowler's dream to get a hat trick in any form of cricket and I am glad to have done that both in one-days and Test."

When asked to comment on the World Cup probables for Pakistan that excluded Salim Malik and Aamir Sohail, Akram revealed that it was an unanimous decision taken by the selectors, himself and coach Javed Miandad.

"I am happy with the team. We put youth in the side and that's all. It's a good sign. We are looking for the future of cricket in Pakistan and that's very important," said Akram, who is now the sixth highest wicket taker in the world in Test cricket with 373 wickets from 87 matches.

"Now I am around 61 wickets behind Kapil Dev's world record of 343 wickets. So, I will definitely look forward to go for those wickets and set a new record," said Akram when asked about his ambition.

About his team, specially the new bowling sensation Shoaib Akhter, Akram praised him highly.

"Yes, he will definitely play in this game. He is raring to go - he is the fastest bowler in the world. And we have Saeed Anwar, the best opener in the world. We have Inzamamul Haq who the best player in the world against fast bowling. Then we have Afridi who is the most exciting player in the world and then we have the best off-spinner in the world in Saqlain Mushtaq. So Pakistan team is full of youth and experienced players. And I think we can do good in the future apart from this Test match," Akram concluded.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)