Tri-Nation Series Triumph Boosts Pakistan Ahead of Asia Cup 2008
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has termed his team’s title-winning triumph in a tri-nation tournament in Dhaka as a big boost ahead of this month’s Asia Cup to be held on home soil.
Malik, under fire for a crushing 140-run defeat to India in a league game of the tournament, said that the revenge win against the Indians would help his boys’ morale go up before the Asia Cup.
Malik praised his centurions Younis Khan and Salman Butt, saying that their superb partnership propelled Pakistan to what was a big win over the Indians.
Senior allrounder Shahid Afridi credited ‘unity in the team’ as the main reason behind Pakistan’s biggest win of the year so far.
Afridi said that the players gelled well in the final and recorded an impressive triumph.
Experienced batsman Younis Khan, who was the man of the match in the final, said that his team was no under extra pressure because of a stinging email sent to the team management by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Nasim Ashraf after an earlier defeat to India.
Younis said that Pakistan lost to India in the earlier match because of lack of practice adding that the victory in the final was a result of a team effort.
Pacer Umar Gul said that the title win in Dhaka has boosted the confidence of the entire and asserted Pakistan will go all out to win the Asia Cup which will be held in Pakistan from June 24 to July 6. Most of the Pakistani players returned home on Sunday morning.