Pakistan skipper Younus Khan
Pakistan skipper Younus Khan is prepared to play with a fractured finger and acute pain in order to inflict a rare defeat on India in an ICC event here tomorrow.
Younus has a fracture in his right little finger which would take at least a month to heal but the right-handed batsman said he doesn't want to let go the opportunity of taking on arch-rivals India.
"May be if it was another game, I would have sat on the bench. But you don't get to play India everyday. Who knows the next time you play against India would be two years from now," said a remarkably composed Younus.
Younus last played against India in July 2008 during the Asia Cup where he had smashed an unbeaten 123 at National Stadium, Karachi and he is looking for an encore tomorrow.
"Sure there are chances that I would feel the pain while batting or if a ball comes my way in the field.
"It is also easy for me to run away from the encounter, after all I have a genuine injury. But I look at the bigger picture. If I score big tomorrow, hit a hundred and am a man of match, then people would remember that knock forever. Much like they do when they talk of Sachin (Tendulkar) at Centurion in 2003 World Cup at this venue," he said.
Younus injured his finger during a warm-up game before the start of the Champions Trophy and missed his team's opener against West Indies on Wednesday.
Asked if Pakistan suffered from a fear psychosis against Tendulkar, whose name was repeatedly cropping up in the press conference, Younus said, "More than us, Sachin would be under enormous pressure since now so much rests on him to deliver the goods."
"He is no ghost or super-natural entity. He is a great player and I feel happy when I play against him. There is so much to learn when you watch him or (Brian) Lara bat.
"I watched his innings against Sri Lanka in the finals recently and it was a great knock. You watch that and learn a lot.
"In that respect, we would also miss Yuvraj and Sehwag's presence. They have been great performers for their nation and you want to play against them," he said.
However, Younus said Yuvraj's absence won't bring any good luck for Pakistan.
"It's not good luck for us. It may be bad luck for India.
"What matters is your performance on the day. May be an Umar Akmal can win a game while somebody like Tendulkar fails."
Younus also lavished praise on his Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
"When I first saw him in 2006 he looked a man with tremendous energy and not quite in control of his reactions. But now he has improved a great deal and looks a gentleman. His conduct and captaincy is both good. His performance is also improving every day," he said.
Pakistan is blessed with the arrival of two young players in Mohammad Aamer and Umar Akmal, one a fast bowler and the other a promising young bat. Akmal drew a great deal of praise from his skipper.
"The thing is these youngsters know no pressure. When you are young you don't have any pressure. I didn't have any myself at the start. But now I know I have just 4-5 years left and I want to make them count.
"Akmal is very mature for his age. Against West Indies initially, he made only 2-3 runs from his first 15 deliveries. He then changed gears and won us the match.
"The good things he quickly adapts to any given situation and conditions."
Pakistan skipper wasn't quite sure if he would bat first on winning the toss in Centurion on Sunday.
"When I saw the wicket today, it was very soft. You don't play first on such wickets. But then there is more than a day left and who knows a bit of sunshine would firm up the wicket," said Younus, mentioning that it's the same track on which Sri Lanka took on hosts South Africa in the trophy opener on Tuesday.
Pakistan skipper Younus Khan is prepared to play with a fractured finger and acute pain in order to inflict a rare defeat on India in an ICC event here tomorrow.
Younus has a fracture in his right little finger which would take at least a month to heal but the right-handed batsman said he doesn't want to let go the opportunity of taking on arch-rivals India.
"May be if it was another game, I would have sat on the bench. But you don't get to play India everyday. Who knows the next time you play against India would be two years from now," said a remarkably composed Younus.
Younus last played against India in July 2008 during the Asia Cup where he had smashed an unbeaten 123 at National Stadium, Karachi and he is looking for an encore tomorrow.
"Sure there are chances that I would feel the pain while batting or if a ball comes my way in the field.
"It is also easy for me to run away from the encounter, after all I have a genuine injury. But I look at the bigger picture. If I score big tomorrow, hit a hundred and am a man of match, then people would remember that knock forever. Much like they do when they talk of Sachin (Tendulkar) at Centurion in 2003 World Cup at this venue," he said.
Younus injured his finger during a warm-up game before the start of the Champions Trophy and missed his team's opener against West Indies on Wednesday.
Asked if Pakistan suffered from a fear psychosis against Tendulkar, whose name was repeatedly cropping up in the press conference, Younus said, "More than us, Sachin would be under enormous pressure since now so much rests on him to deliver the goods."
"He is no ghost or super-natural entity. He is a great player and I feel happy when I play against him. There is so much to learn when you watch him or (Brian) Lara bat.
"I watched his innings against Sri Lanka in the finals recently and it was a great knock. You watch that and learn a lot.
"In that respect, we would also miss Yuvraj and Sehwag's presence. They have been great performers for their nation and you want to play against them," he said.
However, Younus said Yuvraj's absence won't bring any good luck for Pakistan.
"It's not good luck for us. It may be bad luck for India.
"What matters is your performance on the day. May be an Umar Akmal can win a game while somebody like Tendulkar fails."
Younus also lavished praise on his Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
"When I first saw him in 2006 he looked a man with tremendous energy and not quite in control of his reactions. But now he has improved a great deal and looks a gentleman. His conduct and captaincy is both good. His performance is also improving every day," he said.
Pakistan is blessed with the arrival of two young players in Mohammad Aamer and Umar Akmal, one a fast bowler and the other a promising young bat. Akmal drew a great deal of praise from his skipper.
"The thing is these youngsters know no pressure. When you are young you don't have any pressure. I didn't have any myself at the start. But now I know I have just 4-5 years left and I want to make them count.
"Akmal is very mature for his age. Against West Indies initially, he made only 2-3 runs from his first 15 deliveries. He then changed gears and won us the match.
"The good things he quickly adapts to any given situation and conditions."
Pakistan skipper wasn't quite sure if he would bat first on winning the toss in Centurion on Sunday.
"When I saw the wicket today, it was very soft. You don't play first on such wickets. But then there is more than a day left and who knows a bit of sunshine would firm up the wicket," said Younus, mentioning that it's the same track on which Sri Lanka took on hosts South Africa in the trophy opener on Tuesday.
© PTI
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