Arthur’s Focus on Initial Wins
While the cricketing world is eagerly awaiting the high-stakes encounter in Ahmedabad, Pakistan’s coach, Arthur, is firmly focused on securing two victories for his team before shifting his attention to the tournament hosts.
“I’m personally excited about the upcoming game, but it’s crucial that we don’t get ahead of ourselves. We hope to have two victories in our pocket before we head to Ahmedabad. It’s a date I’m eagerly looking forward to,” he said.
Pakistan’s Opening Matches
Pakistan’s journey in the tournament begins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, both of whom qualified for the World Cup through the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
Despite being the second-ranked ODI team globally, Pakistan is well aware that both the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, their opponents on Friday and Tuesday respectively, have demonstrated their prowess during the qualifying tournament and will not be easy to overcome.
Anticipation for the Hosts’ Clash
When asked about the much-anticipated third match against the tournament hosts, Arthur acknowledged the significance of the encounter. He emphasized the mutual respect between the players of both teams and expressed his confidence in the warm reception they’ve received in India.
“I can’t comment on the political or governmental aspects, but I can vouch for the respect that the players from both teams have for each other. The Indian public’s love for cricket is well-known, and they don’t often get to see the likes of Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Shadab Khan. I believe that will be a major draw. As for anything beyond that, it’s beyond my purview,” Arthur stated.