Alam eyeing clean-sweep against New Zealand to silence critics

Lahore, Oct.31 (ANI): Pakistan cricket coach Intikhab Alam is eyeing a clean-sweep against New Zealand in the UAE one-day series, beginning November 3, to silence the critics who had come down hard on the national squad following their lacklustre performance in the ICC Champions Trophy.

Interacting with media persons before leaving for Dubai, Alam said his team is well balanced and has the potential to beat the Kiwis in every single match of the series.

"Pakistan has the potential to beat New Zealand fair and square. The Kiwis have to prove that their win in the Champions Trophy semi-final was not a coincidental one and hopefully they would have to fight for a win this time round," The Nation quoted Alam, as saying.

He said the team has charted out a comprehensive strategy for both the one-day series and the two T20 games, which would be played during the series, and each member of the team has been made aware about his duty.

"The team management and the players have a detailed meeting to lay out a strategy for the series and every player has been reminded of his duties in the team. But changes in the plan would be made according to the conditions in the UAE,"he said.

"Cricket is not like football in which the coach shouts from the boundary line giving tips to the players and dictate them their position. Here proper planning is done before the game and even then any players gets out for his own negligence its not the others fault," he added.

Pakistan will begin the series in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday with the first of three one-dayers against the Kiwis. Dubai will then host two Twenty20 Internationals.

Both the teams will then fly to New Zealand for a three-match Test series.

Schedule of the series:

Nov 03: 1st ODI in Abu Dhabi

Nov 06: 2nd ODI in Abu Dhabi

Nov 09: 3rd ODI in Abu Dhabi

Nov 12: 1st Twenty20 at Dubai Sports City Stadium

Nov 13: 2nd Twenty20 at Dubai Sports City Stadium. (ANI)