Pakistan's bowling coach and legendary South African pacer Morne Morkel shed light on the team's aspirations and strategies ahead of their critical face-off against India in the Asia Cup's Super Fours showdown on September 10, Sunday.
In a candid conversation, part of a video shared by Pakistan Cricket, Morkel expressed his satisfaction and delight working alongside the young brigade of Pakistani fast bowlers. Notably, Pakistan showcased their bowling prowess by dismissing India in the group-stage matchup. Unfortunately, the game culminated in a no-result as unexpected rain halted proceedings, preventing any play in the second innings.
Morkel conveyed his sentiments saying, “For me it’s a pleasure to work with these guys. It’s important to keep on focusing and working hard on the basics. We’re having a lot of fun and that’s why we’re executing as well.”
Delving deeper into their tournament strategy, Morkel revealed, “We sat down before the Asia Cup and identified certain goals that we want to achieve. World Cup is the main goal we’re focusing on. We’re focused on arriving in India with everyone in a good space. Making a statement against quality teams is important.”
The seasoned coach didn't hold back in commending Pakistan's formidable pace battery. Haris Rauf, leading the wicket-taking charts in the current Asia Cup with 9 wickets, finds himself in excellent company with Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, both scalping 7 wickets each.
Extolling their individual contributions, Morkel stated, “I just make sure that the guys keep that high standard during training, and with the skills that they’ve got, it makes my job easier. Individually, they’ve all stepped up. Rauf bowled beautifully against Bangladesh in tough conditions. Shaheen’s opening spell against India was incredible. Naseem plays the supporting role from the other end. So, as a core bowling unit we’re doing really well.”
With the Asia Cup 2023 now transitioning into its riveting Super-4 stage, cricket aficionados are eagerly watching the exploits of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, as they compete for supremacy in this prestigious continental championship.
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