Out of form openers worry Younis

COLOMBO: Pakistan coach Waqar Younis urged his opening batsmen on Saturday to regain their form in a hurry after failing in all three of their team’s World Cup matches to date

Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad have only given their side first-wicket starts of 11, 28 and 16 in Pakistan’s victories against Kenya, Sri Lanka and Canada in Group A.

With the next game looming on Tuesday against a buoyant New Zealand, Younis said the openers need to give Pakistan some solid starts in the games ahead.

”I am sure they will come good in the remaining three matches because, after that all matches are knockout matches,” Younis said. ”We need openers to fire.”

Pakistan has not yet chased a total in this World Cup and has depended heavily on captain Shahid Afridi, who has bagged nearly half of the scalps to top the wicket-takers list with 14.

While openers are struggling on the slower pitches of subcontinent, experienced batsmen Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and young Umar Akmal have taken on the main run-scoring duties in the three matches so far.

However, Pakistan’s lower batting order struggled against Canada’s seamers and the team was bowled out for a particularly modest 184 in 43 overs.

”We have to show real improvement in batting,” Younis said. ”After poor batting against Canada, I hope others will also take responsibility _ especially the openers.”

Inexperienced Canada was in sight of a major World Cup upset and was cruising at 104-3 before Afridi (5-23) rattled the middle-order with his faster legspinners and bowled out the North Americans for 138 in 42.5 overs.

But Younis is also clearly aware that against tougher opponents like New Zealand and defending champion Australia, Pakistan’s batsmen will have to find more runs for their bowlers to defend.

”The way our bowling is doing, it is a great support for batting,” Younis said. ”But we know well that 184 against stronger teams would not be enough.”

Afridi has so far won all three spins of the coins, but has not taken the opportunity to chase against Kenya, Sri Lanka and Canada.

Younis would like to see a change in that approach and put some pressure on the batsmen before the quarterfinals, by bowling first against either New Zealand, Zimbabwe or Australia in the remaining games.

”It would be a great test of our batsmen when we chase a target because that adds to the pressure,” Younis said. ”We want to field first in one of the games so that our batsmen get the opportunity to chase.”