Waqar promises fireworks in big game against South Africa

NAPIER, New Zealand: Pakistan might have failed to score authoritative wins against Pool B minnows Zimbabwe and UAE but their coach Waqar Younis promised on Wednesday that his charges will fire against leading group rivals South Africa in Auckland on Saturday, writes Khalid Hussain.
The Green-shirts have picked up their World campaign after a dismal start by first beating Zimbabwe by 20 runs in Brisbane and then taming UAE by 129 runs here at McLean Park on Wednesday.
But their chances of making the cut for last eight remain far from secure as Pool B remains wide open with five teams harbouring realistic chances of entering the quarters.
Pakistan are currently trailing at fourth place behind India, South Africa and West Indies but an unlikely win against the Proteas will virtually seal their place in the quarters.
A loss, in contrast, will put them under extra pressure as they will have to beat Ireland in their last Pool B game to have any chance of staying alive in the 14-nation contest.
The way Pakistan have batted in the event so far, not many are giving them much chance against a ruthless South African side that is conquering dizzying heights when it comes to batting largely due to a series of freakish knocks by AB de Villiers.
But Waqar made it clear that his boys were up to the tough challenge.
“We have some very good players and I’m confident that our team is capable of beating South Africa,” he told reporters in a post-match press conference after the game against UAE.
Waqar’s optimism springs from the fact that his pacers have done well in the tournament so far.
A former Test pacer, Waqar in fact believes that Pakistan have the services of the best pace attack in the World Cup.
“Our batting might not have really clicked and we don’t have batters like AB de Villiers,” he said. “But I believe we have the best pace attack in he tournament.”
Waqar said that he was a relieved man after the back-to-back wins.
“I am relieved. There is no doubt about that but yet the tournament is still very open. Of course, this victory will definitely give us a boost, at least, a positive thinking towards the next two games.”
There has been a lot of criticism over the non-inclusion of Sarfraz Ahmed in the line-up but the team management continues to ignore him.
Playing down the issue, Waqar defended the inclusion of misfiring opener Nasir Jamshed, stressing that the best eleven are chosen for any given game.
“Look, we have 15 here, so we try to pick up the best side on a day. So if it’s Nasir, or Sarfraz or Younis or someone else comes, whatever we feel is the right combination, that’s how we go about it.”
Waqar agreed that new rules and fielding restrictions have tilted the balance in favour of batsmen in limited-overs cricket.
“It is a little unfair to faster bowlers, I would say or to any bowlers especially when the field is restricted and you don’t really know which way to bowl. Yes, death bowling I feel that the yorker is the best ball. They have different theories from different coaches but I still feel the good yorker is the best delivery.”