Our bowling attack is potent even without Amir and Asif: Riaz
Pakistan's young left arm pacer Wahab Riaz has warned the other participating teams in the World Cup not to under-rate the team's bowling attack in the absence of top bowlers, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: February 16, 2011 11:08 PM IST
Pakistan's young left arm pacer Wahab Riaz has warned the other participating teams in the World Cup not to under-rate the team's bowling attack in the absence of top bowlers, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
"No doubt, we will feel the absence of Asif and Amir but even without them our bowling attack is very potent and number one in the world," Wahab told the Geo News channel in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Pakistan have gone into the World Cup with a depleted bowling attack having lost Asif and Amir to the bans on them by the International Cricket Council anti-corruption tribunal on spot-fixing charges while Sohail Tanvir was also dropped from the World Cup squad on fitness grounds after the New Zealand tour.
Wahab who has emerged as a potent bowler for Pakistan in the last few months with his ability to reverse swing the old ball at good pace said that any team would feel the absence of their top bowlers.
"It is the same with Pakistan but we still have a very dependable attack even without Asif and Amir and no team should take our bowlers lightly," he cautioned.
Wahab who hails from Lahore and is playing his first World Cup said that Pakistan's biggest advantage was that all the pace bowlers were good at reverse swinging the ball.
"And in Sri Lanka (where Pakistan plays all its group matches), reverse swing will be very handy for any team," Wahab added.
He said the Pakistani bowlers would try to fully exploit their knowledge of reverse swing on the slow pitches and humid weather in Sri Lanka.
Wahab also praised the team's strike bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul pointing out they carried a wealth of experience with them.
"They are top bowlers and bowling alongside them is always a great help. The youngster said he was eagerly awaiting to play his first World Cup and the entire team was focused on doing well in the tournament."