KOLKATA: Pakistan suddenly have spring in their steps and why not. Tuesday’s win against Bangladesh has not only given a new lease of life, it has also hugely boosted their confidence.
“We do believe that we still have a good chance of entering the semifinals,” Fakhar Zaman, one of the heroes of the seven-wicket win, said at the Eden Gardens here after the match. “Some of the results of the other matches have to go our way.”
Zaman, who scored 81 in 74 balls, added that he could have got a century, but the team’s situation dictated the way he played and eventually lost his wicket. “Our aim was to chase down the target (205 runs) in 28-29 overs,” he said. “We knew that we had to get our net run rate up.”
The opener went for a slog to a Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivery that was outside the off stump. He could not clear the field and landed in Towhid Hridoy’s hands. Zaman was going for the eighth six oh his innings.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, another Pakistan hero of the day, too revealed that the net run rate was very much on their minds while going for the chase. “We knew we had to go for some quick runs and our batters went into the match with that in mind.”
Afridi admitted that he didn’t get the swing, his main weapon, he had hoped for in the Indian conditions. “We had to adjust a little and plan on trying to hit the right length.”
Zaman, who had to sit out for five matches during this World Cup, felt Pakistan are gradually adjusting to the conditions in India and that was evident in the last two matches. “We thought we did pretty well against South Africa, although we lost it narrowly. Against Bangladesh, we played the game we wanted. Even our bowlers are now understanding the conditions and are trying to use them.”
Although there were some injury concerns for Zaman, he said he could have played any time. “It wasn’t the kind of injury that would have kept me away had Pakistan needed my service.”
Pakistan will face New Zealand in Bengaluru on Saturday, before returning to Kolkata for their final league game against England on November 11. They would be praying that they stay alive in the tournament till then. As head coach Grant Bradburn had admitted, their fate is no longer in their control.
