SURPRISE PAKAGE!
Arthur says the series against England will help Pakistan at World Cup
Leeds, May 20: Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur insisted his side would benefit from a 4-0 one-day series defeat by World Cup hosts England when the showpiece tournament starts later this month.
England, the world’s topranked ODI side, triumphed by 54 runs in Sunday’s finale at Headingley as, not for the first time this series, Pakistan’s bowling and especially their fielding let them down.
Yet the match was the first time in a completed innings this campaign where Pakistan, bowled out for 297, had failed to post a total of 340 or more.
But Sunday’s game did see Babar Azam follow up his 115 at Trent Bridge on Friday with 80, while captain Sarfraz Ahmed made 97 before being run out in unusual fashion by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.
Arthur insisted he was in a much better mood now than he had been after Pakistan suffered a humiliating 124 run-opening defeat on the
Duckworth/Lewis method by India in Birmingham at the 2017 Champions Trophy — an ODI tournament they bounced back to win by defeating their arch-rivals in the final.
Arthur was adamant the series against World Cup favourites England would help Pakistan.
“The other thing is we’ve played against a team who are number one in the world in their own conditions.
“I know there’s not too many teams who will arrive in England as prepared as we are in terms of the competition we’ve played against and matchfitness,” explained Arthur, previously a coach of both his native South Africa and Australia.
“All I know is the players are very determined to do well. Every time they go out there they play for 210 million people.
“We’ll be ready — come the first game against the West Indies, we’ll be ready.
“I’m as confident we’ll do well as I’ve ever been.”
Meanwhile, Arthur said left-arm quick Mohammad Amir, recently sidelined with chicken pox, could yet make it into Pakistan’s final 15-man squad for the World Cup.
“Mohammad Amir trained yesterday (Saturday). He had 25 minutes on a bike and a gym session.”