I don’t want the team to mess up this time: Afridi

Pakistan’s ODI skipper Shahid Afridi endorsed former captain Wasim Akram’s views that the PCB must announce the World Cup squad or at least make a short-list of players as soon as possible. “We need to start working soon with the bunch of players who make the World Cup, as it is a very important tournament and I don’t want the team to mess up this time,” Afridi said.

Pakistan were eliminated in the first round of the last two World Cups, in 2003 and 2007. In a bid to overcome his recent run of inconsistent form with both bat and ball, Afridi is also spending a lot of time in the nets these days. “Yes, I am worried about my form for the past one year and I am personally not satisfied with the way I have batted or bowled for the national team,” Afridi said.

Afridi, who will lead Pakistan in the coming one-day series in New Zealand, and is also tipped to captain the side in the world cup, said he was more concerned about his form because of the upcoming extravaganza.

“It has not been an easy year for anyone of us and I think these constant scandals and controversies have affected us. They certainly affected my form and performances,” he said.

“No matter what you say but these things do affect you and the team. And then the added responsibility of leading the team also affected my own performances,” Afridi stated. The all-rounder said that he is concentrating and working hard on his batting and bowling.

“The best thing to get out of a bad run is to go back to the basics and keep practising. I am doing that because, being the captain, I know how important it is for me to perform consistently with bat and ball,” he said.

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