LAHORE: Pakistan’s captain Shaheen Shah Afridi pointed out that there is still six to seven months in the World Cup and they will build the team for the big event. Besides he declared the victory against Australia a complete team effort as he also defended the pitches prepared for the series, also praised the youngsters.
Shaheen struck a measured tone as he commented on his side’s hard fought series victory over Australia, insisting that the win — Pakistan’s third consecutive ODI series triumph against the visitors across recent campaigns — is a stepping stone rather than a final destination as the team prepares for the World Cup. Speaking to reporters after the decider in Lahore, Shaheen acknowledged the criticisms levelled at the pitches but argued that the series offered valuable opportunities for emerging players and a chance to build continuity in a squad that has seen frequent changes over the past year.
Shaheen began by thanking supporters and underlining the long view. “There are still around 14–15 months left before the World Cup,” he said, stressing that home boards naturally prepare surfaces to suit their conditions. He defended the series pitches as challenging but appropriate for the context, noting that the coaching staff deliberately stuck with a consistent XI to give players the continuity they need on difficult surfaces. “What I noticed in this series was that several players got opportunities and played back to back matches,” he said. “For almost a year, we have been changing the playing XI frequently, but this time we tried to stick with the same combination and give players continuity on these challenging surfaces.”
The captain was polite about the nature of the wickets, admitting that batting was not easy and that time at the crease was at a premium. Yet he framed those difficulties as useful preparation rather than a handicap. “These were difficult pitches. Scoring runs and spending time at the crease was not easy,” Shaheen said. “When the World Cup comes closer and we have home conditions, we will certainly prepare the type of pitches that best suit us.” His comments sought to reassure fans that the team’s approach will be tailored to the demands of major tournaments and that there is time to refine plans.
