KARACHI: Pakistan have all it takes to win the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, the team’s interim head coach and selector Aaqib Javed has said.
Aaqib made the remarks following the side’s five-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the tri-nation One-day International series final here at the National Bank Stadium on Friday.
Batting first on a bowling friendly surface, Pakistan managed to score 242, a target which New Zealand chased down with reasonable ease after restricting Pakistan to a below par total thanks to a brilliant bowling show.
It was New Zealand’s victory in a row against Pakistan in the tri-nation series, the BlackCaps having beaten the hosts by 78-runs on batting paradise in Lahore.
Despite Pakistan’s record chase of 353 against South Africa in the last league match of the tri-nation series, their results against a much stronger New Zealand team exposed their prevailing weaknesses; mainly the lack of quality spinners.
Additionally, questions were raised over former skiller Babar Azam’s promotion as opener, affecting the whole batting line-up of the Mohammad Rizwan-led team.
Pakistan will open their Champions Trophy campaign on Wednesday against New Zealand only, before matches against India in Dubai and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
