As the Super-4 stage of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 intensifies, Pakistan’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel, emphasises the importance of making a statement against quality teams. This comes ahead of their much-anticipated match against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
In a video released by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on X (formerly known as Twitter), Morkel expressed his pleasure in working with the Pakistani pacers. He highlighted the importance of focusing on the basics and maintaining a fun environment, which he believes is the reason behind their successful execution on the field.
The former South African pacer praised Pakistan’s pace attack, stating that each player has stepped up individually. Haris Rauf leads the wicket-taking tally in the ongoing Asia Cup with 9 scalps, closely followed by Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah with 7 each.
Morkel commended Rauf’s performance against Bangladesh and Afridi’s opening spell against India. He also appreciated Naseem Shah’s supporting role from the other end. According to Morkel, this collective effort is what makes them a strong bowling unit.
The coach also shed light on their strategy for the tournament. “We sat down before the Asia Cup and identified certain goals that we want to achieve. The World Cup is our main focus. We’re focused on arriving in India with everyone in a good space. Making a statement against quality teams is important,” Morkel added.
https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1700721410283594192
Despite their previous match against India being rained out, Pakistan managed to bowl out India in their group-stage encounter. The match ended as a no-result after rain forced it to be abandoned without a single ball being bowled in the second innings.
Pakistan kicked off their Super-4 campaign with a resounding victory over Bangladesh by seven wickets in Lahore. As they gear up to face India again, fans are eagerly waiting to see if they can continue their winning streak.
The Asia Cup 2023 has now moved on to its second phase, with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India advancing to the Super-4 stage. Despite unpredictable weather conditions in Colombo, cricket enthusiasts across South Asia are hopeful for an exciting match between these two cricketing giants.