Arthur hopes Pakistan will lift their game against WI

KARACHI: Pakistan’s head coach Mickey Arthur warned on Monday that his team will have to give its best to tame world T20 champions West Indies in a three-match T20 International series getting underway in Dubai from September 23.

“West Indies are a very good Twenty20 team they are the current world T20 holders, so you can never take them lightly even in conditions like these and the west Indies conditions are similar to conditions here anyway, so they are going to be a formidable opposition and we are going to have to play really well to beat them,” he told reporters in Dubai.

“We(Pakistan) have played a lot of cricket of late, the players have been playing cricket and whether you are playing one day cricket or Tweenty20 cricket as long as you are playing the skills are sharp. We have just got to hone those skills, we have four training sessions to get that right. I am confident the guys will be ready. A lot of guys have been playing the domestic competition at home anyway so they have been playing Twenty2o cricket,” Arthur added.

West Indies bowler Samuel Badree who also happens to be the World’s number one Twenty20 bowler said he was in top shape, and looking ahead to the series.

“I think I am hundred percent and there is no discomfort when I bowl, I am really happy with my fitness and the level of performances thus far.

“I like to remain the number one T20 bowler in the world, whether mystery or not it does not matter. Just consistency is what I am after.

“It is ( the current West Indies T20 team) a different team from the one that played the world cup, a few guys making their debut on this tour, we have been here before, many of us, the heat is quite different to what we are accustomed to. We came a bit early realizing we need to acclimatize so within the next week before the first game against Pakistan we will be well adjusted and fit and all players will be ready to go.

“Pakistan are very similar to us in terms of their consistency or lack of it. One day they give a brilliant performance just like us and the next day there is a lot to be desired. On their day they can demolish any opposition, we are weary of that challenge, we respect every opposition that we come up against and we are going to do the same against Pakistan and we are going to prepare well and execute our plans as best as we can knowing they are a very dangerous team,” he added.

The Pakistan team arrived on Monday evening at Dubai Sports City’s ICC Academy facility for the first training session of their cricket season in the UAE. Pakistan are scheduled to play the West Indies in Three Tests, Three ODIs and Three T20Is.

Pakistan began with an indoor session of fitness drills before moving outdoors. This session began at six pm to last until nine pm. Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq dropped in for a quick visit at the Dubai facility.

Earlier in the day the West Indies team returned to ICC Academy and trained ahead of their warm-up Twenty20 match against the ECB XI on Tuesday. The Players were put through a tough routine of fitness work as well as long stints in the nets.