LAHORE: Led by Younis Khan, a 15-man Pakistan squad left for Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday to participate in the elite eight-nation ICC Champions Trophy to be played there from September 22 to October 5. The Pakistan outfit also comprises seven officials and the matches will be played in Johannesburg and Centurion. Pakistan are in Pool A with holders Australia, India and West Indies while Pool B comprises of England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and hosts South Africa. For the first time the Champions Trophy is featuring only the top eight sides in the world in the only global multi-team 50-over-a-side tournament between the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean and the next edition of that event, in the Asian sub-continent in two years’ time.
Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a one-day warm-up game on September 18 and later play a local South African combination Warriors in the second game on September 20 before the start of the event. The action begins on 22 with the home side in action against Sri Lanka in a day-night encounter in Centurion and it will end with a day-night final at the same venue on October 5. Pakistan launch their campaign when they take on West Indies in their opening match on 23 and clash with archrivals India in Centurion on 26. They will play their last pool match on 29 against Australia. Top two teams from each pool will progress to the semi-finals.
Having already won the Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan are targeting a second major 2009 title at the upcoming Champions Trophy despite a less-than-impressive history in the competition. Pakistan have not reached the final in any of the five previous editions of the Champions Trophy — the biggest 50-over tournament behind the World Cup. England are the only other team who have not won a Champions Trophy. Younis, who led Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title in England in June, hopes his team can emulate that feat in one-dayers. “Our World Twenty20 win has given us confidence and I think we can build on that success in the Champions Trophy. Maybe there is a difference of overs, but the style remains the same and now a team can chase 350-plus,” Younis told reporters before departure to South Africa.
India and Australia both have hit peak form ahead of the Champions Trophy. India won a triangular series over Sri Lanka and New Zealand, while Australia are on the verge of whitewashing England in their 7-match ODI series. Pakistan have kept faith on its experienced middle-order batsmen Shoaib Malik, Misbahul Haq, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousauf despite a 3-2 loss in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Fast bowler Mohammad Asif will join the squad when his one-year doping ban ends on 22, while all-rounder Rana Navedul Hasan returns after severing his ties with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). Asif’s return will compensate for Shoaib Akhtar’s failure to make the squad due to lack of fitness. The ever-improving seamer Umar Gul, fast rising Mohammad Aamir and hard working pacer Rao Iftikhar Anjum make up a potent bowling attack with Afridi’s leg-spin and Saeed Ajmal’s off-spin adding variety.
The Champions Trophy began life as the ICC Knock-Out in 1998 and was played every two years through to 2006, changing its name for the 2002 edition. The sides to have won the event are South Africa (in Bangladesh, 1998), New Zealand (Kenya, 2000), India and Sri Lanka (joint winners after the final was washed out in Sri Lanka, 2002), the West Indies (England, 2004) and Australia (India, 2006).
Pakistan squad:
Younis Khan (captain), Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbahul Haq, Shahid Afridi (vice captain), Rana Naveedul Hasan, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir, Muhammad Asif, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Saeed Ajmal. Officials: Yawar Saeed (manager), Intikhab Alam (coach) Shafqat Rana (associate manager), David Dwyer (trainer), Umar Farooq (analyst), Faisal Hayat (physio) and Abdul Rauf (masseur).
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Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a one-day warm-up game on September 18 and later play a local South African combination Warriors in the second game on September 20 before the start of the event. The action begins on 22 with the home side in action against Sri Lanka in a day-night encounter in Centurion and it will end with a day-night final at the same venue on October 5. Pakistan launch their campaign when they take on West Indies in their opening match on 23 and clash with archrivals India in Centurion on 26. They will play their last pool match on 29 against Australia. Top two teams from each pool will progress to the semi-finals.
Having already won the Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan are targeting a second major 2009 title at the upcoming Champions Trophy despite a less-than-impressive history in the competition. Pakistan have not reached the final in any of the five previous editions of the Champions Trophy — the biggest 50-over tournament behind the World Cup. England are the only other team who have not won a Champions Trophy. Younis, who led Pakistan to the World Twenty20 title in England in June, hopes his team can emulate that feat in one-dayers. “Our World Twenty20 win has given us confidence and I think we can build on that success in the Champions Trophy. Maybe there is a difference of overs, but the style remains the same and now a team can chase 350-plus,” Younis told reporters before departure to South Africa.
India and Australia both have hit peak form ahead of the Champions Trophy. India won a triangular series over Sri Lanka and New Zealand, while Australia are on the verge of whitewashing England in their 7-match ODI series. Pakistan have kept faith on its experienced middle-order batsmen Shoaib Malik, Misbahul Haq, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousauf despite a 3-2 loss in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Fast bowler Mohammad Asif will join the squad when his one-year doping ban ends on 22, while all-rounder Rana Navedul Hasan returns after severing his ties with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). Asif’s return will compensate for Shoaib Akhtar’s failure to make the squad due to lack of fitness. The ever-improving seamer Umar Gul, fast rising Mohammad Aamir and hard working pacer Rao Iftikhar Anjum make up a potent bowling attack with Afridi’s leg-spin and Saeed Ajmal’s off-spin adding variety.
The Champions Trophy began life as the ICC Knock-Out in 1998 and was played every two years through to 2006, changing its name for the 2002 edition. The sides to have won the event are South Africa (in Bangladesh, 1998), New Zealand (Kenya, 2000), India and Sri Lanka (joint winners after the final was washed out in Sri Lanka, 2002), the West Indies (England, 2004) and Australia (India, 2006).
Pakistan squad:
Younis Khan (captain), Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbahul Haq, Shahid Afridi (vice captain), Rana Naveedul Hasan, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamir, Muhammad Asif, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Saeed Ajmal. Officials: Yawar Saeed (manager), Intikhab Alam (coach) Shafqat Rana (associate manager), David Dwyer (trainer), Umar Farooq (analyst), Faisal Hayat (physio) and Abdul Rauf (masseur).
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