KARACHI - Pakistan cricket coach Intikhab Alam has backed his team as favourites for winning the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in South Africa in September.
Despite the disastrous tour of Sri Lanka, Alam said the momentum is with Pakistan.
“We lost the Test and one-day series in Sri Lanka but won the last three games of the tour. Those results were very important and now the momentum is with us ahead of the Champions Trophy,” said Alam.
However, Alam admitted that Pakistan would have to play really well to succeed in the eight nation tournament, in which it shares the group with India and Australia.
“Australia and India are two of the world’s best teams but in a way it’s good for us that both of them are in our group,” The News quoted Alam, as saying.
Alam said his boys were looking forward for battle against arch rivals India.
“A match against India is always a big one and the team is planning to go all out for a win against them,” he said.
Pakistan has never won a game in ICC tournaments like the World Cup and the Champions Trophy against India.
Alam believed that Australia would be vulnerable in the tournament, particularly after their morale-shattering Ashes defeat against England.
“For Australia, Ashes is the ultimate thing. Their morale would be really low and I believe that would be good for our cause,” he added.
Commenting on the selection committee’s controversial decision to include tainted fast bowler Mohammad Asif omitting experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq from the 15-man squad, Alam said Asif will add strength to bowling line-up.
“We certainly need a bowler like him. Asif will add to our team’s strength. He is fully fit and has played plenty of cricket in the last five or six months,” he said.
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