HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is determined to avoid any early upsets in the World Cup and will field his strongest team in its opening Group A match against Kenya Wednesday. “There are a number of examples when big teams have lost, so I want to play with full strength,” Afridi told reporters Tuesday. Pakistan made a first round exit at the 2007 World Cup after a defeat by Ireland, while Kenya has caused upsets at previous World Cups, beating the West Indies in 1996 and Sri Lanka in 2003. Afridi's plans mean fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar could get an opportunity to gain some rhythm and 21-year-old uncapped player Junaid Khan might have to wait. Akhtar is one of the three Pakistan survivors, with Abdul Razzaq and Afridi, who beat Kenya in a 2004 Champions Trophy match in Birmingham. Pakistan went on to win by seven wickets and has a 5-0 One-Day International record against Kenya. Since Afridi was appointed one-day and Twenty20 captain in June last year, Pakistan has failed to qualify for the Asia Cup final and has lost one-day series to both England and South Africa. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board retained him as captain — just two weeks ahead of the World Cup — after he won a six-match series in New Zealand 3-2. Afridi admitted he's had some tough times as captain, especially after three of his teammates — Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt — were suspended in August and then given lengthy bans earlier this month for spot-fixing. “It was difficult in the beginning when we had all those issues,” he said. “We had to rebuild, we had to lift the team again and that was affecting my performance.” Opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad has filled the shoes of suspended opening batsman Butt with a century against New Zealand and another in a World Cup warmup match against Bangladesh in Dhaka. Fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who has troubled many top batsmen with his leftarm fast bowling, has also impressed Afridi. “Now the situation has come that our team is settled and we have a good combination,” he said. “People now have hope that this team can do something.” “Not playing in our country is on our minds,” Afridi said. “We feel for our nation, our people who are missing the World Cup. I think this is the main thing for us, so definitely we will try our level best to win, which is very important for us, and if we do that I hope some cricket returns to our country sooner than later.” For Kenya, captain Jimmy Kamande had a minor injury scare after being hit on the side of the head while batting in the nets at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium. But Kenya's media manager Arjun Vidyarthi said it's “nothing serious and he will be all right for the match.” The 2003 semifinalist had a dismal start to the World Cup as New Zealand dismissed it for just 69 runs last Sunday to win by 10 wickets in Chennai. But 39-year-old all-rounder Steve Tikolo, who has played in all five World Cups for Kenya since 1996, said his team just had a bad day against the Kiwis. “As a top professional, for me, if you are down, it's the way you pick yourself up,” he said. “The good thing that came out in the changing room was that the boys were very disappointed and that shows the mark of good professionals.” “It's good to hear that the opposing captain has respect for the Kenya team,” Tikolo said of Afridi's plans to field a strong lineup. “I'll pass that message to the boys, so obviously tomorrow the guys will be pumped up.” Kenya had a lengthy batting session Tuesday as it prepared to face the likes of pacemen Akhtar, Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz — with its top order having previously fallen to New Zealand's fast bowlers. “The New Zealand bowlers bowled well,” Tikolo said. “It's not about us giving excuses, we played badly, we have to accept that and move on.”
