HYDERABAD: Among the current Pakistan team comprising 15 players and three travelling reserves, only two - Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Ali Agha - have travelled to India in the past. The former travelled with the team during the 2016 T20 World Cup but didn't get a game while the latter represented Lahore Lions only in one Champions League match against Dolphins.
Given the duo's experience in the country, Wahab Riaz, who too hardly played cricket on Indian soil ever since his international debut in 2008, looks an experienced pro. Wahab, who recently retired from international cricket, had played one ODI and three T20Is in India. All three T20Is were during the 2016 T20 mega event while his only ODI was the famous World Cup match against India in Mohali.
He bowled an excellent spell claiming 5/46 from his 10 overs including the wickets of Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni. The inexperience of playing in Indian conditions can be a factor when the Babar Azam-led side begins its World Cup campaign here at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal, Hyderabad on October 6 against the Netherlands.
Wahab, too, feels the way but asserts that it will only spur the team to perform better. "Playing in India is something else. Almost all the members of the current team including Babar have not played in India so the pressure will be there, especially with such a big crowd in attendance. But overall the Pakistan team is known to perform better whenever it is under pressure. I believe they will come out with a good performance," Wahab told this daily from Pakistan.
The Men in Green entered the recently concluded Asia Cup as the favourites. They attained the numero uno status in the ODI just before the tournament and were expected to go all the way given their past two-and-half-a-month experience of playing in Sri Lanka, which co-hosted the tournament. Despite the favourite tag, they bowed out losing to both India and Sri Lanka. However, Wahab believes that it will have no bearing in the World Cup. "The World Cup is a different ball game and one cannot predict Pakistan's show in it on the basis of their not-so-commendable performance in the Asia Cup. They have a balanced squad and can go the distance if they perform to their potential."
The 1992 champions, who were taking on New Zealand in their first warm-up match in Hyderabad on Friday, are known to produce quality pacers and rely heavily on their fearsome bowling attack. But the Asia Cup turned from bad to worse when they lost pacer Naseem Shah, who sustained a shoulder injury. Wahab admits Naseem's absence is a big blow but adds Hasan Ali is the perfect replacement. "Indian conditions will suit Hasan as he swings the ball and gets reverse swing as well. He did that for Pakistan during the Champions Trophy in the past and has the potential to do it again in the marquee event," said the 38-year-old left-arm pacer.
He is of the opinion that the Pakistan middle and lower-order batters have to contribute as relying merely on bowling will not do them a favour. "It's not the case with the Pakistan squad. Almost every team has top-order batters, who can win matches for it but in such a big tournament, the middle and lower-order batters have to score. The role of No 6, 7 and 8 batters becomes important. Pakistan's strength is bowling but batters need to put runs on the board for them to defend."
The sub-continental conditions mean spinners are crucial for any team's success and Pakistan seems to be lagging behind a bit in that aspect with their premier tweaker Shadab Khan being off-colour for quite some time. But Wahab strongly feels the spinners will come to the party once the event starts. "Shadab is a match-winner. The last few tournaments did not go well for him so he needs to pull up his socks. I am quite sure he will play a vital role in the tournament. Besides, Pakistan also have the services of Nawaz, Usama Mir and Iftikhar Ahmed. So basically for them, all the boxes are ticked."
Confident in their abilities, he also holds Pakistan as one of the favourites to lift the Cup. "Obviously, India, Pakistan, Australia and England are the favourites. These four teams can reach the semifinals and from thereon it can be anybody's game given their show on that particular day," he signed off.