Published Thu, Apr 15 10 08:11 PM
Karachi, Apr 15 (PTI) Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said there is no reason why his teammates cannot defend their Twenty20 World Cup title provided they stick together and back each other. Afridi said going into the tournament, starting on April 30 in the West Indies, as the defending champions would definitely mean extra pressure but the players were confident they can defend the title they won in England last year. "The victory at Lord''s was due to a result of excellent team work and if we again play as a unit, and support and back each other, I don''t see any reason why we cannot repeat our performance in England," said the flamboyant all-rounder. Team spirit has never been Pakistan''s strong point with reports of under-performance and groupism almost always doing the rounds. So much so that an exasperated Younus Khan quit captaincy and went into a self-imposed exile after claiming some senior players were lobbying against him. Afridi, however, had no such apprehensions and the all-rounder said his teammates were raring to go. "All the players are looking forward to the ICC World Twenty20 2010 as it will be the first time in more than a decade that we will be going into a tournament as the defending champion," Afridi said. "It is a pleasant feeling and although it adds to pressure, it also gives you the belief and confidence that if you can do it once, you can do it again," he said. Afridi said his teammates were aware of the challenge and would put their best foot forward to live upto the expectations of their fans. "The players know they will be carrying the expectations of their fans on their shoulders and, therefore, I''m sure they will leave no stone unturned in giving their best," Afridi said.
Source: Web Search
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