Pakistan keep fingers crossed

Cont...

Champions Trophy: Pakistan keep fingers crossed

New Delhi: All 12 teams for the Champions trophy have held open media sessions.

The one for India clearly had the biggest presence, while the next most well attended was the Pakistani one on Monday.

This was not surprising given all the turmoil: Inzamam banned and then Younis Khan initially refusing the captaincy.

But for the media, it was all charm as the Pakistanis insisted that they have now put everything behind them and are ready to win.

Pakistan were in India just a year and a half ago but the media melee at this press conference would make you think otherwise.

The journalists seemed determined to figure out what was the real story behind the captaincy musical chairs, but the team wasn't about to tell why.

"What has happened has happened. I just want to forget everything and move on," said Younis Khan, Captain, Pakistan Cricket Team.

"It's all in the past. Captaincy is in the hands of God. There is nothing a human can do," said Mohammed Yousuf, Vice-Captain, Pakistan Cricket Team.

Team in turmoil

It's a Pakistani team in turmoil then with as many as two changes in the team management and a new cricket board chairman.

Maybe Inzamam did win the war after the Oval test but his team lost a few battles as well in terms of the fall-out. Shoaib Akhtar though is unmindful. He's happy to be injury free.

"There are no feelings, what happened at the Oval has been left at the Oval, the result has come out and Inzy Bhai has been banned for 4 games.

"I feel that if we keep these things in our mind or for that matter the issue of Younis Khan as Captain, we can't come to India and compete properly," he said.