Confident Sarfraz eyes another match-winning show

ADELAIDE, Australia: Pakistan’s campaign at this World Cup appeared to be heading towards a disastrous finish following back-to-back defeats in their first two games of the tournament.
And then Auckland happened.
Pakistan, who were hammered by India and West Indies and had recorded unconvincing victories against Zimbabwe and UAE, stunned chief Pool B rivals South Africa by 29 runs in a rain-affected game at Eden Park.
It was a clear warning to other title contenders that Pakistan, too, were in the hunt for the World Cup.
And the one man chiefly responsible for Pakistan’s turn-around is Sarfraz Ahmed.
Pakistan’s team management under-estimated him and believed that even the misfiring Nasir Jamshed was a better option.
But Sarfraz remained focused and made full use of his first World Cup opportunity by hitting a run-a-ball 49 at the top of the order and then gloving a world record-equalling six catches against the Proteas. He went on to hit a match-winning 101* against Ireland in a must-win game here at Adelaide Oval to take Pakistan in the quarter-finals.
Before Sarfraz’s induction, Pakistan’s batting lacked self-belief. But now, as they come closer to a potentially explosive quarter-final against Australia here at Adelaide Oval on Friday things are looking positively different.
But instead of taking any credit, Sarfraz believes that the entire team is responsible for it.
“We started badly but the way we have made a comeback the credit goes to the entire team, the boys who have fought bravely and the coaching staff that has been working hard,” he said here at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
With two man-of-the-match awards in succession, Sarfraz has emerged as one of Pakistan’s most valuable players in this tournament.
Asked whether he was thinking about emulating the great Wasim Akram, who is generally regarded as one of the biggest architects of Pakistan’s 1992 triumph, Sarfraz stressed that he was just thinking about giving his best in Friday’s clash against Australia.
“I’ve received a boost with my previous two innings. But at the moment neither I nor the team are looking beyond the quarter-finals.
“Our attempt will be to give our best in the next match which is against Australia. Personally, I want to utilise my form and give the team a good start at the top so that the other batters have some cushion when they come in to bat.
“My century (against Ireland) has given me a lot of confidence. I am sure that the team will give its best against Australia and I’ll go all out to give our side a good start as an opener.”
Many see Australia, a team brimming with match-winners, as the favourites to progress to the last four but Sarfraz disagrees. “No team is favourite here anymore because it’s the quarter-finals now and the side that will play better will win,” he said.
Sarfraz, 27, believes that Pakistan have plenty of experience against Australia. “We have always played tough matches against Australia. We played well against them in the Test series in the UAE last year and beat them comprehensively.
“The pressure will be on Australia as they will be playing in front of the home crowd and we will try to attack against them and play positive cricket.
“I know that they have some very good fast bowlers but I must say that our batsmen will be ready for them.”
Pakistan legend Imran Khan recently suggested that Adelaide is a perfect venue for Pakistan and Sarfraz couldn’t agree more with the 1992 World Cup-winning captain.
“Australia will have a little bit of a home advantage but I think the Adelaide pitch will suit Pakistan. Imran bhai has also said that and I agree. So I think that it is going to be a close encounter with each side having an equal chance of winning it.”