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Imam-ul-Haq
Opener Imam-Ul-Haq on Sunday promised a "new" Pakistan team will take the field against Afghanistan following back to back defeats in the World Cup. The Men in Green started the tournament well before losing to arch-rivals India and Australia. "We have played four matches and we are 2-2. We are confident. We will accept that we did not play well in the last two matches," said Imam on the eve of the game against Afghanistan. "We will have to perform up to the mark. It matters a lot how you play on the given day. You can talk as much as you want. But it matters how you play on the day. We have talked about it. You will see a new team tomorrow in Chennai." The Pakistani spinners have been unable to make an impact in the competition so far, and Chepauk being a spin-friendly wicket could allow them to get back among the wickets. When asked if the preparations would largely be spin-focused considering Afghanistan have the likes of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Zadran, he said: "I don't believe
Pakistan made it a difficult chase at times but the visitors completed a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first cricket test on Thursday. Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals but opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq scored an unbeaten half-century, his eighth in test cricket, to see the tourists through before lunch on the fifth day. Sri Lanka won the toss and batted, scoring 312, and Pakistan replied with 461 in its first innings. The home side scored 279 runs in its second at-bat, leaving Pakistan 131 runs to win. Pakistan didn't get off to a good start and limped to 48 for three at stumps on day four. When play resumed on the final day, Pakistan needed 83 runs and there were memories of the 2009 test at Galle. That's when the visitors needed 97 runs with eight wickets in hand chasing a target of 168 but collapsed and were bowled out for 117. Babar Azam added 41 runs for the fourth wicket Thursday with Imam and the run chase looked a mere formality, but Prabath Jayasuri