Cricbeat

Fast bowling legends Imran Khan and Wasim Akram have advised the Pakistan Cricket Team management to play four specialist bowlers against Sri Lanka on Saturday, even if it means dropping a batsman.

Imran Khan said that conditions in Sri Lanka are such that it is a must to have a strength in bowling department.

"I would prefer to go in with at least six bowlers, four of them specialists because matches are only won by taking wickets," Imran said

Imran also praised the teams performance against Kenya citing the fact that the Pakistani middle order batsmen got the chance to spend time on the wicket.

"The win will be a great confidence booster for them but at the same time the team management must decide on how to balance the playing eleven and their bowling attack. Because playing just three specialist bowlers and depending on Abdul Razzaq to share the new ball and then on two all-round spinners is a risky tactic for me in these conditions where pitches favor the batsmen," Imran told Geo Super Channel.

"The way they have set up the format of this World Cup, I don't think Pakistan should face any problems qualifying for the quarter-finals. And to me the real contest will come in the knockout stages before which we must have clearly finalised our playing eleven," he said.

Wasim Akram also advised the team to open the innings with Kamran Akmal and drop either Muhammad Hafeez or Ahmed Shehzad and to send Younis Khan at number three with Abdul Razzaq also being promoted up the order.

"I think Abdul Razzaq at the moment in these conditions in the World Cup is being wasted at the number eight position. He is not getting enough overs to bat. Given his experience he can easily bat up the order and that would allow Pakistan to play an extra bowler," the former captain said.

He pointed out that Pakistan could face problems if they went in with three specialist bowlers only against stronger opponents.

"I had talks with the captain and coach and I told them play at least four specialist bowlers. We must use Shoaib Akhtar as an impact and wicket-taking bowler and have a third pacer or second specialist spinner in the side."

Wasim Akram had no doubt that Shoaib Akhtar is going is going to make an impact in the tournament: "He looked sharp against Kenya and he is still a match-winner,"