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Pakistan head to England prepared for assault on Cup

The Pakistan squad departed for next month’s tournament on Saturday with coach Intikhab Alam advocating the strength of careful preparation going into the second edition of the 12-nation event.

“No one can make any predictions about Twenty20 matches but I am backing my team to do very well because the preparations have been top class,” Alam told reporters before the team boarded a London-bound plane.

In 2007, Pakistan lost to arch-rivals India in the final of the inaugural event in South Africa, a defeat that Alam said still hurt his players and acted as an incentive to go one better this time around.

“They have been through a gruelling conditioning camp in the mountains and have had very productive sessions with a sports psychologist,” he added.

Something Pakistan could not prepare for, however, was last week’s withdrawal of spearhead paceman Shoaib Akhtar because of a skin infection, although he has been replaced by Rao Iftikhar.

Better news for the side came when off-spinner Saeed Ajmal’s bowling action was cleared last week after he had been reported by match officials for a suspect action.

Alam said Shoaib’s absence was unfortunate but there were plenty of capable players in the side.

“Whether it’s a test match, one-day or Twenty20 international, the sports psychologist has impressed upon the guys that cricket is a team game and not about individuals,” Alam added.

Pakistan and India will play a warm up match at the Oval on June 3 with the International Cricket Council (ICC) having decided that proceeds from the game would be given to the victims of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March.

The Pakistan coach said his team had some very experienced players who had the ability to adjust quickly to English conditions.

“I don’t think that would be a problem. What we must guard against is complacency, because no opponent can be taken lightly,” he said.

Alam added Pakistan’s strength lay in its varied bowling attack and they had the pace bowlers to exploit pitches in England.

Pakistan are in Group B along with hosts England and the Netherlands.