Afridi sketches blueprint for World T20 success

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

KARACHI: With six months still to go in next year's ICC World Twenty20 Championship, Shahid AfridiShahid Afridi has already sketched a blueprint in his mind that is aimed at raising a team strong enough to defend the crown in the Caribbean.

The Pakistan Twenty20 captain told 'The News' in an interview on Tuesday that he is very clear in his mind about the steps needed to be taken ahead of the 2010 World Twenty20 championship where his team will be looking to retain the title it won in England last June.

Afridi, who was the biggest star of the 2009 World Twenty20 in which he clicked with both the bat and ball, spoke of an extended pool of probables and announced that he has planned best possible steps to ensure that Pakistan are as miserly in giving away extras as teams like South Africa and Australia.

The senior all-rounder - rewarded with Twenty20 captaincy following his heroics in England - said that he has already briefed Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, about his plans for the April 30 to May 16 assignment.

"I've informed the chairman about my views regarding the (World Twenty20) preparations," said Afridi, who had an extensive meeting with Butt in Lahore earlier this month to discuss the strategy for what is Pakistan's most important target next year.

"I told him that we need to pick around 28-30 top performers from the domestic circuit and have them attend a camp immediately after the tour of Australia," he said referring to Pakistan's Test and one-day series that will end next February.

"After the camp we can sit down and pick the very best from that pool and I'm sure they will form a capable team," he said.

Afridi, 29, said that Butt and Iqbal Qasim, Pakistan's chief selector, have ensured him that he will get a freehand in team selection and preparation.

"It's great to receive such strong support from the chairman and chief selector," he said. "I'm sure that we can translate it into a forceful performance in the West Indies."

Afridi is pinning his hopes in youngsters like hard-hitting batsman Khalid Latif and pacer Wahab RiazWahab Riaz, saying that the duo is in his list of players, likely to make the country's Twenty20 squad.

"Youngsters like Khalid Latif can be really useful. They have the necessary firepower. Then there are bowlers like Wahab Riaz. I'm expecting Sohail TanvirSohail Tanvir to make a successful comeback because he is very good for this format."

Tanvir, a left-handed pacer who can bat, was a big hit at the 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa but flopped in England because of fitness problems. He was later dropped from the national squad but will return for the two T20 games against New Zealand in Dubai next month.

As a captain, Afridi believes that one of his toughest task will be to teach his boys how not to give away extras. "One of our team's weakest points is our tendency of bowling too many no-balls. We've been conceding a lot of extras and that is one area we will have to improve," he said.

Afridi, easily among the best T20 all-rounders with 34 wickets at 15.73 and 421 runs at 21.05, is confident that key players like pacer Umar GulUmar Gul will be in top gear in the Caribbean.

"Gul was one of our best performers when we won the title. He has been having a few problems with his ankle but a good rest has worked and I'm sure he would be back with a bang," he said.

In England, it was Pakistan's bowling that included the spin combo of Afridi and Saeed Ajmal which catapulted the team to the title. "Our bowling will once again be our strong point," he said. "But I'm also confident about a marked improvement in our batting which is very important if we are to defend the title next year."

Pakistan, who tamed Sri Lanka in the 2009 World Twenty20 final at Lord's, have been bracketed with the 50-over world champions, Australia, and Bangladesh in Group A. The Greenshirts will open their defense with a game against Bangladesh on May 1 and will complete their Pool phase with a potentially explosive clash against Australia the other day. Bot the games will be played at St Lucia.

Sri Lanka head Pool B that includes New Zealand and Zimbabwe, who return to the international fold after being overlooked for this year's tournament. 2007 champions India are in pool C with South Africa and a qualifier. The hosts, West Indies, are with England and a second qualifying team in Group D. Barbados will stage the tournament's final on May 16. The tournament will be staged at four venues - Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and St Lucia.