PALLEKELE – Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez admitted on Monday that he and fellow struggling opener Ahmed Shahzad have let their team down, but a World Cup blitz could be just one innings away. Hafeez and Shahzad have managed opening partnerships of 11, 28 and 16 in three matches so far, a performance which captain Shahid Afridi and coach Waqar Younis have already insisted must improve.
Despite the lack of good starts, Pakistan’s middle-order has fired to help the team win all three games at the World Cup, giving them six points and top position in Group A ahead of co-hosts Sri Lanka and Australia. Hafeez believes he and Shahzad will fire as a partnership in Tuesday’s match against New Zealand having both hit centuries against the Black Caps during team’s 3-2 series win on the eve of the World Cup.
