Troubled Pakistan dream of title repeat

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes his injury-hit and controversy-plagued side can bury their problems and successfully defend their World Twenty20 title.

Problems on and off the field have been part and parcel of Pakistan cricket down the years, and the lead-up to the 2010 World Twenty20, which starts in the West Indies on Friday, has been no different.

Penalties sparked by the team's disastrous tour of Australia have been imposed on seven top players while Twenty20 expert Umar Gul and all-rounder Yasir Arafat have been ruled out through injury.

Gul, who is the leading wicket-taker in Twenty20 cricket with 43 victims in 26 matches, while also boasting the best figures of 5-6 against New Zealand in the World Twenty20 in England last year, hurt his shoulder.

Arafat has an injured calf.

"Gul is a big loss but with Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir and Mohammad Sami (Gul's replacement) we have the firepower to bring the Cup back to Pakistan," said Afridi, who was one of the penalised players from the chaos in Australia.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) fined Afridi three million rupees (35,000 dollars) after bizarrely sinking his teeth into the ball during a one-dayer against Australia in February.

Afridi was also put on a six-month probation.

Younus Khan, who led Pakistan to their World Twenty20 win in England last year before retiring from the shortest format, and another former captain Mohammad Yousuf were banned for an indefinite period for "infighting".

Shoaib Malik, who recently married Indian tennis pin-up Sania Mirza, and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan were banned for one year and fined two million rupees each (24,000 dollars).

Kamran Akmal and his younger brother Umar were also heavily fined and put on six months probation.

The penalties were imposed after Pakistan's tour of Australia where they lost all three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 international.

In the fall-out, Intikhab Alam was replaced as coach by legendary paceman Waqar Younis.

Arafat's replacement Mohammad Irfan, a 6ft 8in (2.03m) tall left-arm paceman, will be a danger in the Caribbean with his height and bounce.

Afridi said the players have put all the problems behind them.

"The past is history," said Afridi, player of the semi-final and final in the World Twenty20 last year.

"We have prepared well for our title defence and there is no reason why we should not win."

KARACHI, AFP