The Pakistan team has put its celebrations on hold despite registering
exciting wins over Sri Lanka and Australia in the Twenty20 World
Championships in South Africa.
Pakistan reached the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup after back to back
wins over Sri Lanka and Australia, who played in the final of the World Cup
in the West Indies earlier this year.
"Definitely the victory over Australia is a big milestone
for us. But there have been no wild celebration in the team and it will come
after and if we manage to win the trophy itself," Ehsan Malik, the
media manager of the team, told reporters from Johannesburg today.
Malik said the players were overjoyed after beating Australia,
but they knew they still had three more matches to go before they can really
celebrate.
Malik admitted that after the Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif
brawl, which led to the former being sent back home on disciplinary grounds,
the performance of the team had been a surprise for him. "We always have
a lot of talent but to win big matches in pressure situations is what has lifted
us up in this tournament." Malik said the team was now focused on the match
against Bangladesh and not taking them lightly.
"We know it is not everyday you beat Australia because
they are the world's top side, but still we still have a lot of hard work to
do in this competition," he said.
Malik said performances of newcomers like Misbah-ul-Haq and
Sohail Tanvir are the highlights of Pakistan's success.
"The atmosphere in the team is very good and the morale
is high. So just pray it can continue this way and lead us to the title,"
he added.
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