Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur remains hopeful his side will roar back to get their campaign on track when they play South Africa in their sixth match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 here on Friday.
The team had a terrific start to their campaign with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, but their journey took a nosedive when they faced three consecutive defeats.The Men-in-Green faced a shock defeat to Afghanistan at MA Chidambaram Stadium, which was followed by defeats to India and Australia in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru, respectively.
"We said in the change room the other night that we have got six matches to win the World Cup. We have to get on a streak and win six in a row. We know that as a unit, we know that as a team, we have to make sure we get our strategy hundred per cent. We have to make sure that we get our execution 100% and if we do that, there is no reason why we cannot (win the World Cup)," Arthur said on PCB Digital.
Pakistan team had earlier turned most adverse situations in their favour. They pulled off an epic turnaround in Australia last year to play the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and scripted a fairy-tale by winning the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England despite starting the campaign on the wrong foot.
"I don't think our skills have been where they've needed to be in those last three games, but these players have got the skills. It is up to us as coaches to make sure that we get them firing come Friday by giving them the confidence and the belief that they can turn this around," he added.
The 55-year-old believes that Pakistan will have to click in all three facets of the game to consolidate their qualification chances for the semifinal.We have not put a game together yet. We have not played the complete game. It is up to us to delve, to dig, to give advice, to give information and to give the belief that we can put that perfect game together because we know our perfect game is good enough. Our perfect game is good enough to beat anybody.
“We have not put a game together yet. We have not played the complete game. It is up to us to delve, to dig, to give advice, to give information and to give the belief that we can put that perfect game together because we know our perfect game is good enough. Our perfect game is good enough to beat anybody.
"The boys are trying out hard in the practice and I cannot fault their effort. I cannot fault attitude. What I can fault is the execution of skills under pressure, and that's something that we continually work on at practice," said Arthur.