‘The pressure is on us’: Pakistan’s ICC trophy drought adds to the burden on players

Fakhar Zaman (Image credit: AFP) Veteran top-order batsman Fakhar Zaman believes Pakistan can end their wait for the ICC trophy at the 50-over World Cup to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.Speaking to the media in Rawalpindi on Saturday, Fakhar said that Pakistan’s players had discussed in detail their failure to win the ICC title since 2017.“The pressure is on us as a team to deliver the ICC trophy and we have had extensive discussions to end the country’s wait for a major international trophy,” he said, according to PTI.Pakistan last reached the final of the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia 2022 where they lost to England in Melbourne.While acknowledging that the team’s failure to win the ICC title disappointed fans, Fakhar pointed out that the strong performances brought public recognition.“It is natural (that) people are disappointed that Pakistan has not been able to win the ICC title for a long time and we also know that when we do well, we are showered with love and admiration,” Fakhar said.“When you perform well, people show you more love. When you don’t perform well, they are naturally disappointed. Whether senior or junior, every player strives to perform at his best and improve in his profession.”He added that winning the trophy brought a different kind of happiness compared to reaching the latter stages of the tournament.“The happiness you experience as a nation after winning a trophy is different from when you reach the semi-finals or the final,” he added.Fakhar said the players were serious about ending Pakistan’s wait for an ICC title and hoped to bring the World Cup trophy home.“We are taking it very seriously. We will do our best and hope that Allah will help us to bring the World Cup trophy back to Pakistan,” he said.The upcoming tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka will be an important part of Pakistan’s preparations as the team looks to find the right combination for next year’s ODI World Cup.“The idea is to start building the perfect combination for the World Cup from now and the good thing is that most of our players are going into the tri-series after playing domestic cricket,” Fakhar said.He also emphasized the value of playing 50-overs domestic cricket before facing international opposition in the format.“When you play 50-overs cricket after First Class, it’s a lot easier to adjust, but going from T20s to ODIs is never easy. It’s encouraging that all the players have come through the season and are in very good touch,” he added.Fakhar also played down concerns over Pakistan’s recent struggles in the Test series against England, which they lost 0-3, saying the two formats required different approaches.“We discussed our plans extensively, although there are certain things we cannot talk about on camera. There was a lot of discussion, but red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket are very different,” he said.He added that the changes in the squad have given the players hope ahead of the World Cup, even as preparations continue.“There have also been significant changes in the squad so we are hopeful and excited. As our preparations progress, the World Cup is also at the back of our minds,” Fakhar added.