Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistan skipper, has said they want to “identify their strengths” and “try different combinations” in the one-day international series against South Africa to find the right XI ahead of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019. The team last won the World Cup back in 1992, but their success in England, where they lifted the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017 and reached the World Cup final in 1999, should give them confidence. “We have to identify our strengths ahead of the World Cup for which we will be trying different combinations in this series,” Sarfraz said on Friday, 18 January, ahead of the opening ODI against South Africa. Ahmed, however, has backed the left-hander ahead of the ODI series, deeming him a “very important player”. “I have told him that he needs to stay at the wicket more because his presence scares the bowlers.”

Source: Pakistan Today January 19, 2019 13:52 UTC