India brings out the best in us: Raja

“Our team members will not be bothered by minor things during the competition here; like crowd behaviour, etc. We understand the feelings of the people here. Maybe, our people back home would have reacted similarly, like they did in Bangalore,” he clarified.

Talking about his team’s chances in the competition, Raja said, “Despite the team having come here without our best bowlers, we will do well, because India brings out the best in us. We always play to our potential when we play against India, whether we win or lose.”

Asked about the absence of frontline bowlers Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed, the Pakistani skipper said, “We had to make use of the cricketers available with us. We will definitely miss them but that is the way things stand.”

Raja was optimistic of his team’s chances in the tournament. “Because we have not come here to play a Test or one-day series. It is only a one-day competition and a team that plays well on a particular day will win.”

Does he feel the Sri Lankans would be the toughest team in the competition? “Even the mightiest have fallen in one-day competitions. We are not afraid of any team. We will play positive cricket and try to win the title.

Talking about the tournament, he said, “The Independence Cup would be an ideal opportunity for the two countries to get closer. The competition should be a beginning for better relations between the people of the neighbouring nations, who have both suffered emotional setbacks.” He said the team decided to take part in the tournament “to join your countrymen in rejoicing your Independence. This could be an opportunity for the people (both India and Pakistan) to have a matured look into the whole thing.”

His sentiments were echoed by team manager Mushtaq Mohammad, who added: “Let us play the game in the healthy way. This is only a game, no more, no less. The people of the two countries, especially the cricket followers, must learn to accept defeat. It is part of the game.”

Mushtaq said his team would rely more on spinners. “We have in Saqlain Mushtaq, one of the best off-spinners in the world today.” He praised Raja as “an able captain who plays with the cent per cent cooperation of the players. “I am sure all will play under him as one unit.”

Raja said emphasis during the tournament would be on batting as he was quite aware of the behaviour of wickets in the sub-continent. “We have experienced batsmen to rise to the occasion,” he added.

Talking of the return of Saeed Anwar, who has been named vice-captain, Raja said, “His mere presence would be a big boost to our team although he had been out of action for quite some time.”

Raja also had a dig at his former colleague Aamir Sohail, who “raised the bogey of match-fixing against his team-mates.” But he never uttered a word while he was playing, Raja said, but immediately brushed aside the subject, saying that he would not like to comment on it.

Raja said there were quite a number of youngsters in the squad who will get an opportunity to prove themselves on the tour. “We have a battery of young pace bowlers and some attractive batsmen. You never know, some of them may play for the country for many more years after their performances in India,” he said.

Talking about the exciting Shahid Afridi, the Pakistani skipper hoped the youngster would learn to play under pressure. “We have told him of the crowd pressure in India and I hope he keeps that in mind.” Salim Malik, one of the seniormost members of the squad, said he was happy to be back in India. “I have always treasured my knocks in India and am looking forward to the competition once again.” The team members will leave for Chandigarh tomorrow morning where they are scheduled to play a practice game against a PCA XI on Wednesday.

The team: Rameez Raja (captain), Saeed Anwar (vice-captain), Salim Malik, Inzamam-ul haq, Ijaz Ahmed, Mohammad Waseem, Hasan Reza, Moin Khan (wicket-keeper), Saqlain Mushtaq, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Aaqib Javed, Azher Mehmoud and Mohd Hussain.