Pakistan T20 skipper Shahid Afridi said he wanted to take responsibility and put up a winning performance when his team takes on arch-rivals India in their Asia Cup opener on Saturday.
Afridi’s flagging performances have meant Pakistan have won just one of their last six T20 internationals, and the enigmatic captain knows it.
The all-rounder scored just 38 runs in three matches against New Zealand in January and also failed against England in November.
“I always gave importance to my performances because it is important for my team,” Afridi told reporters at Fatullah, just outside the Bangladesh capital on Friday.
Afridi said he was taking his bowling more seriously as the team’s batting order did not allow him to play the power-hitter’s role at the top.“My main strength is my bowling but I understand that where I bat I can also contribute for the team and that is important.
“Whether it is 20 or 30 runs but it is important as it all counts,” he added.
India has defeated Pakistan in all but one of their previous T20 internationals but Afridi said past results were irrelevant.
“I am not thinking what we have done against India in the past because I don’t live in the past,” he said.