‘Pakistan have many X-factors’
NEWLY ELECTED PCB CHAIRMAN FEELS TEAM CAN CAUSE UPSETS
RIt will be one of the most open tournaments but I see teams from Asia doing well under the UAE conditions and our boys are extremely well versed with the conditions there.” Ramiz Raja » PCB chief
amiz Raja, the new chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), struck an upbeat note about his team’s chances in the T20 World Cup which gets underway in Oman and the UAE from October 17.
“There are a number of players with X-factors in this team, though I would not like to name anyone individually,” said Raja, a former captain and celebrated media personality who was formally elected as successor of Ehsan Mani less than two weeks back. “T20 is an unpredictable format but as long as they can fight, the team has the potential to upset many a calculation,” he said.
Speaking to Gulf News during an exclusive interview over phone, Raja felt that the World T20, which will take place right after the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE, will be one of the most open tournaments in recent times. “See, it will be one of the most open tournaments but I see teams from Asia doing well under the UAE conditions and our boys are extremely well versed with the conditions there,” said Raja, a member of Imran Khan’s World Cup winning squad in 1992.
Grouped with India
Pakistan, champions of 2009 edition under Younis Khan, and India — winners of the inaugural edition in 2007 and finalists in 2014, also have Afghanistan, New Zealand and two qualifiers from Round 1 to contend with in Group 2 while Group 1 comprises England, Australia, South Africa, the West Indies and two qualifiers from Round 1.
The UAE, which had been the home venue for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for more than a decade in 2009, had been an all-too-familiar turf where apart from the international fixtures, past and present Pakistan players often play in domestic cricket as well. “For Pakistan, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 is like a home event as the UAE has been our venue for more than a decade. We have not only nurtured our talent and developed our side in the UAE but have also beaten the top sides in these conditions to peak to No.1 in the ICC T20I Team Rankings,” Babar Azam, the current skipper, said.