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Cricket

“I really believe we have yet to play our best game,” says Pak Team Mentor Matthew Hayden

Pakistan’s best is yet to come, according to squad coach Matthew Hayden, and struggling skipper Babar Azam will need “something absolutely spectacular” in their Twenty20 World Cup semifinal match against New Zealand on Wednesday.

The Netherlands shocked South Africa, and Pakistan then upset Bangladesh to earn their second straight last-four berth, allowing the 2009 champions to barely make it into the knockout rounds.

Former Australia opener Hayden, who was Pakistan’s batting coach at the previous World Cup and has been named team mentor for this edition, said the team was determined to make the most of their second opportunity.

“When the Netherlands beat South Africa, it was a major occasion for us, a very crucial moment for the team in general in terms of fulfilling its potential,” he explained on the eve of the Sydney semi-final.

“There were many prayers when Pakistan awoke to witness that outcome, 232 million people can’t be incorrect, and as a result, I feel there has been a significant lifting in pace in our group.”

“It’s been a roller-coaster ride… but I truly feel we have yet to play our best game, which poses a significant danger to opponents.”

While Pakistan’s bowling, headed by Shaheen Shah Afridi, has improved, their batting has been brittle, which will be a concern against a top-class New Zealand attack led by Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Lockie Ferguson.

New Zealand has long been a force in white-ball cricket, but has yet to win a global crown, including a narrow defeat to Australia in 2021.

“Boys, we are dangerous, just understand and appreciate that. The moment Pakistan cricket fires off with intent and starts to reveal its teeth, we become a real threat. There will be no one in this world and this competition that would want to face us right now, not one.

“They thought they got rid of us, but now they are not going to get rid of us. We are here, dug in and I actually love how we have gone about this compared to the last World Cup because the expectations were enormous in the last World Cup. We blew everyone off the face of the planet,” said Hayden in his dressing room speech posted on the twitter handle of the Pakistan team.

They began their season this year with an 89-run victory against the reigning champions in Sydney, and Hayden acknowledged Pakistan were apprehensive of the Black Caps.

“Like New Zealand sports in general, they really battle above their weight; they feel they can and should win this event. There are definitely a lot of dangers to our camp,” he added.

Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain, downplayed the significance of his team’s 200-3 on the Sydney wicket, noting that they only scored 167-7 against Sri Lanka when they returned to the stadium later in the competition.

“We’ll just focus on our cricket and the strategies we’re aiming to implement, making sure we react to the circumstances and attempt to play intelligently.”

New Zealand quickly followed its first Sydney success with a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka, with a game against Afghanistan called off due to rain. They lost by 20 runs against England before smashing Ireland to go to the semi-finals.

When it came to the knockouts, Williamson felt the outcomes didn’t matter.

“Sport in the finals may go any way,” he remarked. “Both teams match up well; there are some comparable patterns, and we’ve both been playing strong cricket.”

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Farzeen K

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