Mickey Arthur, the director of the Pakistan cricket team, openlyacknowledges his in-depth knowledge of Sri Lanka’s “strengths andweaknesses.” His familiarity with the Sri Lankan squad stems from histenure as their coach, a role he held for two years from December 2019 toNovember 2021. This knowledge will be put to the test as former championsPakistan and Sri Lanka prepare to face off at the World Cup in Hyderabad,scheduled for Tuesday. For Arthur, it’s a chance to reconnect with playershe played a pivotal role in developing.
Looking ahead to the upcoming match against Sri Lanka, it appears thatPakistan is inclined to maintain the same lineup. This decision includesretaining out-of-form opener Fakhar Zaman, who managed only 12 runs in thematch against the Netherlands. Arthur expressed confidence in Zaman’sabilities, asserting, “I am not worried about his form; he is a good playerand is just one innings away from a big score.” It’s a testament to thefaith and belief that the team has in their talented batsman, who haspreviously achieved the milestone of a double century in ODI cricket.
With a shrewd eye on the upcoming clash, Arthur stated, “Yes, I know theirstrengths and weaknesses, so we will have plans put in place for all ofthem.” He is well aware that Sri Lanka is a formidable opponent,emphasizing the need for Pakistan to perform at their best to secure avictory.
In their World Cup journey, Pakistan encountered a tense battle against theNetherlands in Hyderabad, emerging victorious by 81 runs. Despite facingearly setbacks with a faltering top order that had them at 38-3, Pakistanmanaged to post a challenging total of 286, thanks to half-centuries fromSaud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan. In the subsequent innings, Pakistan’sbowlers dismissed the Netherlands for 205 runs in 41 overs.
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Reflecting on the performance, Arthur shared, “I enjoyed the first win eventhough it wasn’t a great performance.” He acknowledged that while it maynot have been perfect, the team did enough to secure the win, with keyplayers stepping up when it mattered most.