Islamabad, Jan 23: Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has urged his team to focus on playing an attacking brand of cricket in next month's ICC Champions Trophy.
Pakistan are hosting their first ICC event after a gap of 28 years, the last being the 1996 World Cup. However, the eight-team competition will only see seven teams including Pakistan playing in the country as India to play all their matches in Dubai.
Pakistan will enter the marquee tournament as defending champions having defeated India in the 2017 edition's final. Latif feels that the home side should focus on their preparations and not think about India not travelling to Pakistan for the tournament.
“These are exciting times for a cricket-crazy nation. The world’s top teams will be participating in this mega event,” Rashid told Pakistan English Daily Dawn.
“I commend the efforts of the Pakistan government and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for their relentless lobbying with the International Cricket Council (ICC), ensuring that Pakistan gets the opportunity to host this tournament. India will play their matches in the UAE, and that is their business; Pakistan should focus solely on playing attacking cricket,” he added.
Latif expressed confidence in Pakistan's spin prowess keeping them ahead in the home conditions.
“I am confident that our players will seize the opportunity to play in home conditions. We have quality spinners like mystery bowler Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Faisal Akram. Additionally, Salman Ali Agha is a valuable asset,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the former cricketer also shared his concerns regarding Pakistan's opening pair as Saim Ayub is recovering from his ankle fracture sustained during the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town.
“I am worried about Saim Ayub’s injury, and with Abdullah Shafique also out of form, we are left in a bit of a dilemma,” he said. He also pointed out that in recent years, Pakistan experimented with several opening combinations, including Abdullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, and Shan Masood.
“While all of these players are talented, finding the right combination could be a challenge. I am unsure what the selectors are thinking, but perhaps they will opt for Fakhar and Shan Masood as the opening pair. We’ll have to wait and see,” he remarked.
Latif termed India a "strong team" but backed England, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa as formidable opponents for Pakistan. “India is a strong team, but I believe these four teams could pose a greater challenge,” he said.
Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the tournament opener in Karachi on February 19 while the much-awaited clash against arch-rivals India will take place in Dubai on February 23.
