Nasser Hussain: “The fact is that you cannot write off Pakistan for this World Cup”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has made it clear that Pakistan shouldn’t be thought of as underdogs at the World Cup, which will be held in England and Wales next month.

While Pakistan haven’t been at their best in ODIs this year, they did win the Champions Trophy in England in 2017.

During that tournament, Hussain noted that Pakistan’s chances of winning didn’t look promising at the beginning, but after that began to hit their stride, they went on to win the tournament.

Hussain admitted that the same could happen at the World Cup, which Pakistan last won back in 1992.

“How long have you followed Pakistan cricket, you know what they are all about,” he told PakPassion. “Many Pakistani fans will say they have followed their team for too long and had their hearts broken many times, but I love them, and I love their cricket.

“I love them because they are mercurial Pakistan and you wonder which Pakistan will turn up on the day. I turned up for that Champions Trophy match at Edgbaston against India two years ago and Pakistan were awful, they were terrible, and everyone just presumed that they’d be knocked out of that tournament and nobody would hear from them for a while.

“But then they turned up and hammered England and hammered India in the final, that is Pakistan cricket for you at its best and that’s why they are so watchable. The fact is that you cannot write off Pakistan for this World Cup.”

Pakistan will kick off their World Cup campaign against the West Indies in Nottingham on May 31.

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