home jobs contact us
Our Clients:
Browse by Sport
Find us on ASAP sports on Facebook ASAP sports on Twitter
ASAP Sports RSS Subscribe to RSS
Click to go to
Asaptext.com
ASAPtext.com
ASAP Sports e-Brochure View our
e-Brochure

ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP


June 16, 2019


Sarfaraz Ahmed


Manchester, England, UK

India - 336/5 (50), Pakistan - 212/6 (40)

Q. Sarfaraz, seven losses in the World Cup. Do you think the rivalry between India and Pakistan is obsolete right now?
SARFARAZ AHMED: I think, if you talk about World Cup matches, definitely, we're not winning the World Cup matches. I think it's a special game, those teams who handle good, that's why India win today. And previous also.

Q. And do you think the rivalry has become obsolete?
SARFARAZ AHMED: That word obsolete is difficult. What does that mean?

No, I don't think it is. If you see in '90s, Pakistan was up ahead, but definitely at the moment, India's team is better than Pakistan. That's why they win more matches.

Q. You chose to bowl first, and then they put up a big total on the board. So do you think that perhaps now in hindsight you would have also wanted to bat first and put up a total and put India under pressure?
SARFARAZ AHMED: No, I think we won a good toss. I think we didn't capitalize that -- when we saw the pitch, a little bit of moisture on the pitch, we used the conditions. I think we didn't hit the right areas and created for the hitters while they played really well through that.

Q. Sarfaraz, you dropped a specialist bowler and a specialist batsman for two all-arounders. Do you think, looking back now, that was the right decision?
SARFARAZ AHMED: I think it was right. We were going with five bowlers and six batters. So I think our decision was right.

Q. Sarfaraz, when you were coming off the field there, the teams, Mohammad Ahmed seemed quite agitated, quite -- there's a lot of finger pointing and head shaking. Why was he so unhappy, and what was he saying? Why was he like that?
SARFARAZ AHMED: I didn't see anything like that. I thought maybe he's trying to take -- because, unfortunately, he didn't get the wicket. That's why he was upset. Otherwise, he was fine.

Q. What disappointed you most about your team's performance today?
SARFARAZ AHMED: It definitely is very disappointing. It is hard. We were going really well, especially if you talk about our batting. I thought, when we lost the first wicket, Imam and Fakhar, they made a good partnership. Our manager just said stay on the wicket and just try to hit fours and sixes. Unfortunately, we lost too many wickets, and that's why we lost the match.

Q. Sarfaraz, senior players are not rising to the challenge. How much of a worry is it when youngsters are showing the way?
SARFARAZ AHMED: I think if you talk about not only the senior players, I think if you talk about the whole team, I think whole team is not performing well in all three departments. I think we're not playing well in all the departments, not fielding, bowling, and batting.

If you see today's match, I think batsmen made a good start. I think Babar and Fakhar, they played really well, but unfortunately, we lost so many wickets. This is a turning point. That's why we lost today.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP sports

tech 129
About ASAP SportsFastScripts ArchiveRecent InterviewsCaptioningUpcoming EventsContact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297