Pakistan plan spin trap for England


LONDON: Pakistan are hoping to surprise hosts England with their spin arsenal in Sunday’s World Twenty20 Championship match at The Oval in spite of the fact that the hosts have acquired the services of former Pakistan Test leggie Musthaq Ahmed for the tournament.

A Pakistan team official said on Wednesday that his slow bowlers — Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik — will have a few aces up their sleeves when the team takes the field against England on June 3 in its first match of the competition.“We know that England have Mushtaq as one of their coaches but we are confident that our spinners will still do well against them on Sunday,” said the official.

England, looking to shine in the Twenty20 spectacle at home, have recruited the services of Mushtaq as bowling consultant for the summer that includes the World Twenty20 and the Ashes series. Mushtaq’s presence in the English camp is a bit of concern for the Pakistanis, who are aware that the former Test leg-spinner knows their spinners’ strengths weaknesses and will provide vital information about it to the hosts.

Pakistan are counting on their spin assets to do well in the tournament and believe that the slow bowlers can help them begin the tournament on a winning note with a victory against England.

Mushtaq, 38, was Pakistan’s assistant coach during the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean where the team was knocked out of the event in the first round following a shock defeat against minnows Ireland.

The bearded Mushtaq, who played 52 Tests and 144 One-day Internationals for Pakistan, was present in the English dressing room with chief coach Andy Flower during the warm-up match against underdogs Scotland on Tuesday.