Intikhab Alam, coach of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup-clinching team and manager of the current side under Shahid Afridi, has said that Pakistan's performance in the ongoing World Cup is near flawless
Intikhab Alam, coach of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup-clinching team and manager of the current side under Shahid Afridi, has said that Pakistan's performance in the ongoing World Cup is near flawless.
"There is no doubt about that (winning this World Cup will be more special," Intikhab, Pakistan's first-ever ODI captain told MiD DAY over phone from Colombo.
"So far, our performance has been almost flawless ufffd nobody expected this, that's why I am more proud.u00a0 We have gone through so much torture over the last eight months, for us to come out of that sort of scenario and perform like this has shut detractors for good. Anybody who doubted our potential will be beating his words. We are confident of doing this (winning the World Cup)," he added. Pakistan now take on New Zealand on Tuesday in Pallekelle, Sri Lanka
Asked to compare the 1992 and 2011 teams, Alam said: "In 1992, we had some superstars in the side like Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed, and the skipper himself.u00a0 This side hardly has any superstars, and has gelled together really well under Afridi. I don't want to jinx it, but honestly, I have noticed that this side has the character needed to go the distance."
He said that both Imran and Afridi posses the rare ability to lift a side's spirits. "I have seen shades of Imran (Khan) in him, but they are two different characters. Imran was a strict disciplinarian who believed in processes, was very shy and dedicated towards his job.u00a0 He was a more serious character who would communicate his strategies very clearly to the coach and management.
"On the other hand, Afridi is a highly positive individual who thrives off enthusiasm and passion for the game. He's a very hyper and instinctive individual, rarely goes into a game with any plans. You can't call him a great tactician. I have faced challenges in working with both, but there's one similarity - both stamp their authority," he said, paying tribute to Afridi's inspirational captaincy.
