Former Pakistan cricket captain Ramiz Raja has urged the players to assume that they are waging a war when they take on England in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ramiz said Pakistan’s victory in the upcoming series against England would be a perfect way to heal the spot-fixing scandal that had engulfed the sport in 2010. “Players should assume themselves to be in a state of war in every match to maintain consistency in their performances,” Raza said. “I think this is the best opportunity for the Pakistan team to avenge the disgrace of the spot-fixing scandal; all the frustration in the wake of that embarrassment should be exhibited in the form of performances on the field. England might be a strong opponent but beating a top team is the only way to become a hero. There is always room for improvement but there must be self-belief and strong body-language,” he added. Pakistan has not lost any Test series and won six bilateral one-day series in 2011. Ramiz said the Pakistan team has already won over the fans due to its consistent performance following the spot-fixing scandal. He also backed Umar Akmal who has made a comeback in the Test squad, to perform to his expectations in the upcoming series. “Umar Akmal, the batsman who is returning to the Test squad after being dropped for two series, is the one from whom I am expecting a lot and I am hopeful he won’t disappoint us,” Raja said.
