Pakistan’s chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq has insisted that the team’s target at the Champions Trophy starting next month in England is not just to beat arch-rivals India, but to win the competition.
As is the case with most ICC events, the marquee clash between India and Pakistan has been set up in the group stages. The two teams will take on each other on June 4 in Birmingham, England.
“We are not going to England just to beat India, but our prime target is to win the championship,” Inzamam was quoted as saying by Dawn.
Pakistan has beaten India in the Champions Trophy once before, under the batting great’s captaincy in the 2004 edition. Incidentally, that win came at the same Edgbaston ground where they will play in June.
“We can win again,” Inzamam said. The chief selector believed that Pakistan will try hard to win every match of the tournament, coming off a high after the series win in West Indies.
Most of the Pakistan cricketers have already reached England from the Caribbean and a training camp has been set up there.
Pakistan will be captained by wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed and start their campaign against India.