Nigeria Content Online

Pakistan’s
experienced Shoaib Akthar on Sunday brushed aside the suspension of two
of his partners in the Pakistan pace attack, predicting they still had
more than enough variety to succeed in the World Cup.

Mohammad Asif and
Mohammad Amir, were banned for at least five years along with batsman
Salman Butt earlier this month after they were found guilty of
corruption by an International Cricket Council (ICC) tribunal in Doha.

“Obviously, we are
unfortunate that they are not there. But still whatever the pace attack
we have is good enough to win matches,” Shoaib told a news conference
in Dhaka ahead of next Saturday’s World Cup opening in the
sub-continent.

He said Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and himself along with Junaid Khan could still restrict any side in the world.

“We have the best
combination for the new ball and reverse with the older. I think we can
manage to put it right.” Shoaib said the strength of his team lay in
swing bowling, especially reverse swing with the more battered, older
ball.

The 35-year old pace bowler hinted this was going to be his last World Cup and he was ready to take whatever came his way.

“This is the third
(World Cup) in my career and it is very special, obviously. But my plan
is to play for a longer period. I am not sure about it,” he said.

“To make this World
Cup full of memories, you know, every moment, every ball, every run is
going to be memorable for me and I want to take it all in,” he said.

Shoaib, who has
claimed 244 wickets in 160 one-day internationals, said winning this
World Cup would be a perfect gift for his cricket-mad country.

“It (winning World
Cup) will bring the charm back to Pakistan. People in Pakistan are
missing cricket.” The country has been denied home test and one-day
international series since March 2009 and a chance to help host the
World Cup (Feb 19-April 2) because of a gun attack on the touring Sri
Lankan team.

At the last World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007, Pakistan were
knocked out in the first round and their coach Bob Woolmer was found
dead during the tournament in his Jamaican hotel room.