Waqar defends captaincy record as Pakistan start afresh

Pakistan captain Waqar Younis defended his captaincy on Tuesday, claiming that his tenure had coincided with an overall improvement in the team's performance.

Following Pakistan's poor performance in Morocco and Nairobi there has been speculation that Waqar could lose the captaincy unless there is a quick upturn in the team's fortunes.

"I think I have been doing well as captain," he said. "Performances have been improving and we have been winning during the last year. It is only in the last two tournaments that we have gone through a bad patch.

"We haven't been too unpredictable but we have struggled with the batting, not getting enough runs on the board and giving the bowlers a chance to fight."

But Waqar hopes that his talented team can put their recent poor form behind them and win the ICC Champions Trophy, a dress rehearsal for the ICC World Cup next year.

"We are starting afresh," he said. "This is a very important for us, with all the best sides in the world here, so we will give the best we have got and hopefully perform like champions.

"We started to play better during the last match of the tournament in Kenya and we now have to try to maintain that form here, starting with a couple of good training sessions."

Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in the tournament curtain raiser and Waqar believes Sanath Jayasuriya's side will be under the greatest pressure to perform.

"They have also been playing some very good cricket at the moment," he said, "but I think, as hosts, they will be under the most pressure in the opening game of the tournament."

He hoped that Wasim Akram - who announced his intended retirement after the ICC World Cup next year at the same media conference - would regain his bowling rhythm in time for the first game.

"He (Wasim) is having a little problem at the moment with his action, but he has a chance to sort it out at practice during the next couple of days," he said.

Coach Mudassar Nazar admitted concern over the opening combination: "We have had problems with the openers for nine months or so. I thought it was sorted out with Imran Nazir and Saaed Anwaar, but they then hit poor form at the same time."

But a fully fit Shoaib Akhtar, impressing journalists with his long black locks, will be a major boost, providing extra firepower against the confident Sri Lankans.

Akhtar was characteristically bullish: "I'm going to be fast and furious, but my main aim here is to take wickets for my country. I have passed the 100 mph mark, whether they accept it or not, and I know I can bowl faster."

Waqar, meanwhile, welcomed the overnight news that India would be sending a full-strength side: "I'm glad their coming as without them there would have been a hole in the tournament."