Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi exuded confidence about his team’s chances of winning the Asia Cup, insisting they are ready to beat any side, including arch-rivals India, if the two teams meet again in the summit clash on September 28. India have outrightly dominated both the contests against Pakistan in the ongoing continental showpiece so far.
“They have not reached the final yet. We will see when they reach the final. We have come here to win the final and win the Asia Cup. We are ready for any team that comes. We will defeat them,” Afridi asserted ahead of Pakistan’s last Super 4s clash against Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday.
The left-arm quick also underlined that Pakistan had shown growth in recent months and were determined to make a mark against stronger opposition.
“Yes, we haven’t won against big teams. You can say that we have grown in the rankings. But when you play against big teams, you win. The teams that are coming now, we are competing against them,” he said.
Afridi was also asked about his teammates Shahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf’s provocative gestures during Sunday’s defeat to India. While Farhan celebrated his half century with a gunshot pose, Rauf’s flight gesture coupled with a “6-0” signal to the crowd.
Playing down the controversy, Afridi said, “Look, our job is to play cricket. Honestly, everyone has the right to express the way they want to. Everyone has their own respect. Everyone thinks the way they think. But our job is to play cricket. We have come to win the Asia Cup. And we, as a team, are doing our best.”
After being handed a defeat by the Men-in-Blue on Sunday, the Salman Agha-led team sailed past the Sri Lankan hurdle to add their first points in the table.