NEW DELHI (AFP) - Pakistan’s chances at the cricket World Cup will depend on the verdict reached against bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer in the match-fixing inquiry, former captain Imran Khan said on Thursday.
“We must wait for the verdict on Aamer and Asif,” Pakistan’s World Cup-winning skipper responded when asked by reporters how his nation will fare in the showpiece event next year.
“They are the best opening bowling pair in the world. We need to know about their future because if these two bowlers play, it gives Pakistan a good chance at the World Cup.
“Aamer is the best young bowling talent in the world. I have seen him closely and I can say he is streets ahead of Wasim Akram.
“Without these two bowlers, our attack is not potent.”
Aamer and Asif, along with former Test captain Salman Butt, face serious charges of spot-fixing during a tour of England in August.
An International Cricket Council tribunal is due to hear the case in the Qatari capital of Doha from January 6-11. Imran, in New Delhi to promote the World Cup, backed Pakistan’s one-day skipper Shahid Afridi to imbue the team with confidence. “Pakistan are a very unpredictable side,” he said. “They will have to play out of the ordinary to make a mark at the World Cup.
“Afridi is the only player who can pull the team together. If he has a purple patch, he can carry the team with him.”
Imran, who led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup in Australia, said a team could succeed with only two star performers, provided the other players rallied around them.
Imran, regarded as one of cricket’s finest all-rounders, picked India and Sri Lanka as the pre-tournament favourites but warned teams to guard against the pressure and expectations from fans.
“In 1983, the West Indies were by far the best team, but they came under pressure from India in the final and lost the Cup.”
The World Cup is to be co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 17-April 2 next year.