Australia wary of Gul and Afridi

[Mani2020]

Ricky Ponting rates Pakistan as a dangerous side, says Australia will be on top of their game.
By Soumitra Bose in Colombo

Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul will be the men the Australians will be guarding against when Pakistan take on the defending world champions at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday afternoon.

Saying “the World Cup begins now for the Australians”, Ponting said Pakistan’s ability to win big games has been the talking point in Aussie team meetings and it was difficult to pinpoint the main players in the opposition camp.

“However, Gul and Afridi have had standout performances in a team that has many match-winners,” said Ponting, highlighting the importance of Saturday’s game and the way the Aussies are approaching it.

Ponting revealed the team has spoken about Afridi’s ability to control the crucial middle overs and how he stops runs and picks up wickets at the same time. “He can really build up pressure and that is something we have to watch out for. We have to make sure that we have to play him well and show the respect he deserves. He is a world-class bowler,” said Ponting.

“We want to play the best game of the tournament on Saturday,” said Ponting, emphasizing that Australia want to top their group and not worry about whom they play in the quarterfinal round.

Ponting, who has been unbeaten in the ICC Cricket World Cup as skipper since 2003, said Australia must beat the top teams to be labeled as true world champions. On a lighter note, Ponting said: “Our group has been quite boring as nothing much has been happening here compared to the other group.” But Ponting certainly doesn’t want to spoil his unbeaten 34-match winning streak.

Ponting said Australia always play their best cricket on big days and Saturday will be one of them. “We live to play on the edge. We want to be confronted with big situations in tournaments. When you reach the quarterfinal or semifinal, you make sure that you are prepared to play your best game of cricket. The last few World Cups have been exactly like this,” the Aussie skipper said.

 

[ZaYYaF]

I hope he isn't talking about his respect to Afridi as in hammering his bowling with sixes. I really hope the whole Pakistani team play professionally as a team, like they should, instead of putting all the responsibility on Afridi. I laughed when Ponting said that this group has been boring unlike the other, though not much happening like in group B but I won't categorize it as boring, or maybe he will retract if Pakistan beats them convincingly in today's match. I pray for team Pakistan!