20 March,2014 08:38 AM IST | | Debasish Datta
Pakistan coach Moin Khan warns the Pakistan team players that giving anything less than their best will not be tolerated against their arch-rivals India in their ICC World Twenty20 clash tomorrow
Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez (left) congratulates Sahid Afridi after Quinton de Kock�¢����s dismissal during a ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium. INSET: Moin Khan Pic/AFP
Dhaka: Pakistan head coach Moin Khan figured in nearly half a century of one-day internationals against arch-rivals India.
Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez left congratulates Sahid Afridi after Quinton de Kock-s dismissal during a ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium. INSET: Moin Khan Pic/AFP
He ended up on the losing side in several battles; vital among those were the 1992 and 1999 World Cup clashes in Sydney and Manchester respectively.
Tomorrow, Moin will witness yet another mother of all battles - albeit from the dugout when his team takes on India at the World T20.
Forty-two-year-old Moin, who took over from Australian Dav Whatmore, epitomised grit behind the wickets and when he had to help boost Pakistan-s runs. That-s the quality he wants to see tomorrow from his team.
"Sincere effort is the most important thing for me. We have to fight hard. Anything less will not be tolerated. I have made that message very loud and clear to my team," Moin told mid-day yesterday.
He continued: "India vs Pakistan is obviously a big match. I don-t care who is creating the hype - the media or former players - but the fact is that it-s a huge match.
"You can only be your nation-s hero if you do well in big matches. Look at our great players like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar and Inzamam ul Haq... they were heroes because they performed well when it mattered.
"Saeed Ajmal is bowling brilliantly but our batters have to come good for us. Shahid Afridi is the nucleus of our team.
"He likes to take charge of situations and this will help us. Another big plus for us is that the dressing room atmosphere is excellent.
"Fortunately, we are playing good cricket so we go into this big game with everything covered."
