Afridi, Gul Pakistan's trump cards

Yasir Arafat, the Pakistan and Sussex all-rounder, has labelled Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul as Pakistan’s trump cards for next month’s World Twenty20.

Speaking after a match-winning performance with the ball for Sussex at The Oval, Yasir termed the presence of all-rounders and quality death bowlers as Pakistan’s strong point and predicted the team going one better this time.

“This [the Twenty20 format] is about all-rounders, attacking with the bat and performing with the ball and since we possess the likes of Afridi, Shoaib Malik and myself as well as the young Fawad Alam, I’d rate our chances of lifting the trophy are very high,’ Yasir told Dawn. “However, with the form Gul and Afridi have been in, I’d say we would rely heavily on them to take us to that trophy.”

Pakistan arrive in London on Saturday and will be take on South Africa at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Monday in the first of the two warm-up matches before taking on arch-rivals India at The Oval next Wednesday. While Yasir, who will miss the first warm-up due to his county commitments, has had enough time to get acclimatized to the conditions, the rest of the squad will have a week, and the two warm-ups, to get used to the conditions.

“I think a week will be enough, especially since the weather has improved considerably here in England. The fact that the squad has had a camp in Bhurban and that they are involved in the domestic twenty20 tournament right now will help them hit the ground running.”

Yasir, who took 2 for 26 in the win against Surrey, is quite pleased with his own performance leading up to the tournament. Following his switch from Kent this year, Yasir has taken 12 wickets in six one-day matches while guiding Sussex to the semi-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy and hopes the lack of fast-bowling all-rounders in the side will allow him to replicate his form for Pakistan as well.

“This is ideal preparation for me prior to the Twenty 20 tournament and I’m glad the PCB approved my request of spending the days leading up to it here in England. My job is to perform whenever given the chance and I hope I get the selectors’ nod since I’m a fast-bowling all-rounder who has experienced the conditions.”

Yasir made his Test debut against India in December 2007, taking seven wickets and scoring 44. However, he only managed two wickets in his next two Tests, the home series against Sri Lanka, but is hoping for a good performance in the tournament and be named in the squad for the tour of Sri Lanka that takes place in July and August.

© Faras Ghani 2009
Published in DAWN newspaper May 29, 2009.