Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has set the tone for a blockbuster showdown against India, promising a fearless and attacking approach when the two arch-rivals meet in Colombo on February 15. After Pakistan called off their boycott of the high-profile fixture late Monday night, the focus has swiftly shifted to preparations for what is expected to be one of the biggest matches of the tournament.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Fresh from a fiery player-of-the-match performance against the USA, Farhan made his intentions clear at the post-match presentation. “We’ll go in with the same mindset as we did in our previous matches against India, including the Asia Cup. We’ll try to stay positive and play attacking cricket,” he said, underlining Pakistan’s aggressive outlook heading into the contest.
Farhan’s confident words came after his blistering 73 laid the foundation for Pakistan’s 32-run win over the USA. The opener revealed he felt in rhythm even before the match began. “The way we practiced yesterday, the ball was coming onto my bat really well in the nets. I had already told our batting coach Hanif Malik that I was getting a good feeling,” he said. Farhan added that he had set himself a personal goal of winning at least two to three player-of-the-match awards during the World Cup.Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha praised the team’s balanced approach, stating that while they enjoy chasing, they are equally comfortable setting a strong total. “We are comfortable chasing, but we try to bat first and put up above par, then defend. We have a flexible order,” he said.
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After a narrow escape against the Netherlands in their opener, Pakistan’s clinical display against the USA boosted confidence. However, Agha admitted there is still room for improvement, especially in the powerplay bowling, as Pakistan aim to sharpen their edge ahead of the marquee India clash.
