India challenge excites Pakistan coach
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis relishes the prospect of playing the last
two matches in India to win the World Cup as his team continued its
ruthless march in the tournament.
Pakistan, led from the front by inspirational captain Shahid Afridi,
crushed the West Indies by 10 wickets on Wednesday to advance to their
first semi-final since 1999.
The easy win set up a potentially explosive semi-final against
arch-rivals India in Mohali on March 30, if the co-hosts beat defending
champions Australia in Ahmedabad later on Thursday.
Waqar said it would be "awesome" if Pakistan was to play India for a
place in the final at the Wankhede stadiun in Mumbai on April 2.
"I would love to play India in India," the fast bowling great said.
"There is no bigger rivalry in the game than that. We have not played
each other in our own country in recent years.
"So it should be very exciting. The two are cricket-loving countries.
If it happens it will be awesome."
Waqar said it did not matter whether they play the semi-final against
India, or Australia whom they beat by four wickets in the league to end
the defending champions' unbeaten 34-match streak in the World Cup.
"I have no preference whom we play," he said. "We have to concentrate
on what we have to do.
"All I know is that we are going to be playing in India. There will
be a lot of pressure. Not only on us, but probably on the other side as
well. Whoever holds their nerves better will come out on top."
Waqar was delighted at the emphatic win over the West Indies, and
hoped more such games were to follow.
"A comfortable win is always a good thing," he said. "Hopefully we
will get another comfortable win. That's the aim. But we know our
opponents are going to be a lot stronger."
Waqar was not worried his team may not get the kind of support in
India that came its way in the league in Sri Lanka or in Dhaka on
Wednesday.
"Hopefully there will be a few people coming across the border from
Lahore and they'll be supporting us in Mohali," he said.AFP |
