Pakistan’s interim head coach Saqlain Mushtaq declared that his team has a “champion mentality” as they play Afghanistan At the Twenty20 World Cup in Dubai on Friday. The 2009 champions beat arch-rivals India by 10 wickets in their opening match to register a five-wicket win over New Zealand, making them well prepared for the semi-finals.
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“We are playing with the mindset of a world champion. Two wins have given us the confidence and confidence to achieve that goal,” Saqlain said on Thursday.
Saqlain replaces Misbah-ul-Haq, who resigned last month, and is bringing his experience in the past as a spin-bowling consultant for England, Bangladesh and New Zealand.
Saqlain said that his team needs to beware of dangerous Afghanistan.
“We know Afghanistan are a very good team but we have good plans and we need to stick to those plans as we did in the first two games,” he said.
Afghanistan beat qualifier Scotland by 130 runs in their first Group 2 game, with off-spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman 5–20 and leggie Rashid Khan 4/9.
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A legendary off-spinner himself who played 49 Tests and 169 One Day Internationals for Pakistan, Saqlain called Afghanistan’s spinners “world class”. “Rashid and Mujeeb are quality spinners and have been doing well in their team as well as in private leagues. Worldwide, but we have plans against them,” Saqlain said.
He praised the unity of his players, saying it has helped them achieve good results. “Our theme is ‘together we achieve’ and it’s not ‘I did well’ or ‘he did well’, but it’s sort of ‘we did well’ and it helped us jail well.”
Saqlain pointed out that Pakistan has played most of its cricket in the UAE in recent years.
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“These conditions in the UAE are very familiar to my players and we are playing home international matches and Pakistan Super League games here and that will help our players.”
In the Super 12 stage, Pakistan will play Namibia on November 2 and Scotland five days later.
But looking ahead, Saqlain hopes to meet India again at the World Cup – this time in the final.
“If India makes it to the final, it will be great for the International Cricket Council, fans around the world and world cricket.
“It will bring the two countries closer. For me it should be the victory of love and the defeat of hate.”
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