Muhammad Hafeez, the Pakistan all-rounder and called "Professor among his side", has backed his team to boost up their skills in the World Cup semi-final versus India and claimed the strongest bowling attack in the World. Pakistan's bowlers, led by skipper Shahid Afridi, having 21 wickets, the highest wicket-taker of the tournament so far, have set up wins for their team in six of their seven contests so far in the current tournament.
Hafeez said, "We believe that we have the strongest bowling attack in the world at the moment. Our bowling is our power and our batsmen are just supporting them in the way is necessitated".
Hafeez, who bowls off-spin, bowled with new ball in Pakistan's quarter-final prevail with West Indies. Umar Gul had been thriving in the late over; Afridi's variations have proved difficult to deal with, left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz and left-arm slow bowler Abdur Rehman have chipped in while Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Razzaq have also been effectual. Shoaib Akhtar, who will retire from international cricket after the World Cup, is also waiting his turn in the knockouts.
Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka in their chase to 266, fades against New Zealand in their only defeat so far in the tournament, and stepped up against Australia and West Indies to bowl both of them out for under 180. The surface in Mohali where semi-final between Pakistan and India would be played has usually been favorable for fast bowling. Hafeez said, "We really don't concern about the pitch; whatever it will be, we are prepared to perform to the best of our aptitude".
Pakistan has played India on four occasions in World Cups and has been lost each time. Hafeez said, "History, though, mattered little, Pakistan has not beaten India in the World Cup, but in the last 12 years, Australia also had not lost a single World Cup game. But then they lost to Pakistan and India. There is no point thinking about the past. We believe about the day; whoever the opponent is, we fight to win on the day".
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