President urges Pakistan Cricket Team to win World Cup
By Aziz Malik ‘Pakistan Times’ Federal Bureau Chief

ISLAMABAD: President Gen. Pervez Musharraf Monday urged Pakistan team to capture the World Cup for the cricket-loving Nation through physical fitness, discipline and team spirit.

“I back the Pakistan team to win the World Cup but to achieve that feat, it will have to show super fitness, good fielding, discipline and team spirit”, the President said.

Speaking at the reception he gave for the Pakistan and West Indies teams at the Aiwan-e-Sadar, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf announced a financial award of Rs. five million for prolific batsman Muhammad Yousuf.

“I congratulate the whole Pakistan team for winning the Test series against the touring West Indies”, he said. “Muhammad Yousuf stands out with his performance in this series and the Nation is proud of him”.

Muhammad Yousuf broke the world records for most runs and most centuries in a calendar year during the three-Test series against West Indies, won by Pakistan 2-0.

“Now the whole Nation looks forward to winning the World Cup but qualities of super fitness and discipline will be essential to achieve that goal”, he said.

The President, who is also the Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Cricket Board, eulogised the individual performances during the Test series with Muhammad Yousuf outshining all the others in this behalf.

“Besides Yousuf, I think fast bowler Umer Gul and some others like Abdur Razzaq and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal played very well”, he said while speaking to the Pakistan team members.

Talking to pace bowler Rana Naveedul Hassan, he appreciated his tight bowling based on good line and length. To opening pair of Imran Farhat and Muhammad Hafeez, he said the openers were key to getting a good total.

“If the openers give a good start, the rest of the batting doesn’t come under pressure”, he said, urging Imran and Hafeez to always provide a good platform to the team.

Speaking to West Indies skipper Brian Lara who started his career in Pakistan in 1990, he said he was held in high esteem and was a legend among the Pakistani fans who were very emotional about cricket, including he himself.

He was confident that the West Indies team would put up good performance in the five-match One-Day series starting with the first match at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

He recalled times of his youth when West Indies players like Wesley Hall and Gary Sobers were household names in Pakistan.

The President also inquired from Lara about the weather in the West Indies now and in March-April next year when the World Cup will be underway.

Also present on the occasion was PCB Chairman, Dr. Nasim Ashraf, who said the President urged the team to stay focussed for the World Cup and also inquired about the team’s preparations.●