Pakistan have the ability to win 2019 World Cup: Shoaib Malik

 

Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to win the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

"I feel we have a very good chance to win the tournament. But then having a 'good chance' doesn't mean much. How we play each game and how we perform against the rest of the world will define how far we go,” Malik told Sky Sports. 

"Yes, we have the ability to win the World Cup hands-down, but abilities don't win you anything, performances do. Our capabilities include having top ODI bowlers and batsmen in our line-up and personally I'm looking forward to a memorable World Cup 2019."

Malik, 36, said he wished to be valuable to the team till the last game. “My decision to retire is not necessarily connected to my fitness levels, though that is one of the inputs that I will take into account. The main point is that I want to be valuable to my country till the last game I play,” he said. 

The all-rounder had mentioned in an earlier interview that he would retire after the upcoming World Cup. 

“I have no plans to change my mind, but as we all know 2021 is also a big year for my favourite format, T20."

About the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League where he will be playing for Multan Sultans, Malik said he has a good feeling that the team would win the tournament. 

"We are a solid team yes and cover all the key roles with some of Pakistan's and world cricket's best. Losing Steve Smith is a huge loss and we have to figure out how to tackle that loss."

On reuniting with former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi for Sultans, Malik said he was looking forward to it. “Afridi is still playing solid cricket. I'm happy for him to be in our team as he is one of the very few players out there who can single-handedly change the game with their bowling and or batting and sometimes even with their fielding.”

When asked if there is a danger that too much T20 cricket can have a negative effect on the technique of batsmen, Malik said that today's batsmen are able to adapt more quickly.

“In the past few years we have seen driving total scores of ODIs higher than ever before as batsmen have to find creative ways and develop new shots to score at a respectable strike-rate in T20s, and these skills have extended over to other formats as well,” Malik said. 

“Every format requires batsmen to put a high price on their wicket, and that is only possible when the right techniques are in place.”