Pakistan manager optimistic for tri-series

KARACHI (APP) - Pakistan cricket team manager Talat Ali Malik Thursday boasted that his side is strong enough to beat India and bring the tri-series home from Bangladesh. "We narrowly lost the previous ODI series 2-3 in India. But we would reverse the results this time," he told in an interview on Friday prior to his team's departure to Mirpur en-route Dhaka to take part in the event which opens from Saturday. "I think the boys are in great spirit and they are looking to continue their winning trot," he pointed out. "We got a balanced combination in every department of the game. That make my thinking clear for triumph on tri-series," he said. "We got the best side with our batting depth till number nine. We possess strong pace attack with spinners to back them," he said."We got experienced batting in Younus, Yousuf, Misbah, Shoaib Malik with good openers in Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal," he said. "Pakistan is well equipped in pace department. We got good battery of fast bowlers in Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar, Wahab Riaz and Sohail Khan," he remarked. "Absence of Muhammad Asif will be felt but our fast attack is formidable," he said without going into details of arrest of Asif at Dubai Airport for allegedly carrying contraband item. However, he said, cricket is a funny game and anything can happen and Pakistan team was not above it.He said Pakistan left arm ace pace bowler Sohail Tanvir is in a great spirit after seizing purple cap for taking highest number of 22 wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL). "Our fielding has improved and participation in IPL helped them to hone their shills," he remarked."He (Sohail Tanvir) is a class bowler and his batting is under estimated. We hope to see his heroics with bat as well." He said despite white-washing Bangladesh 5-0 at home, they will not take the hosts lightly.

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