Pakistan coach Grant Bradburn wants to see his team play an aggressive brand of cricket
Pakistan coach Grant Bradburn wants his squad to play aggressive cricket when it begins its World Cup preparations with a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan next week.
The series begins on August 22 in Sri Lanka, followed by the Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka before the World Cup in India, which begins on October 5.
"We're not looking to sit back and wait for bowlers to bowl badly, we're looking to be aggressive," Bradburn said in Lahore on Wednesday, a day before the team's departure for Sri Lanka.
"We're learning how to use our abilities." We intend to use those abilities in the game. It's not a request from coaches to players; it's a requirement for them to be in the team because that's how the game is evolving globally… after all, we want to play winning cricket."
Pakistan hasn't played white-ball cricket since hosting New Zealand for an ODI series in April, but the majority of the players selected for the series against Afghanistan are currently participating in a T20 white-ball league.
Pakistan shown signs of aggression with a 4-1 home triumph over New Zealand and a 2-0 away win over Sri Lanka in the July test series.
The Hundred in England included fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, as well as legspinners Shadab Khan and Usama Mir.
Captain Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, and Iftikhar Ahmed participated in the Lanka Premier League to familiarise themselves with the playing conditions in Sri Lanka.
"It's good that some of the boys have been getting some cricket in The Hundred and the LPL," Bradburn added. "It's fantastic that they've been able to play cricket."
Bradburn was named Pakistan coach in May, over a month after Mickey Arthur was named team director by former Pakistan Cricket Board management committee head Najam Sethi.
Arthur, who is the head of cricket at Derbyshire, will be with the Pakistan team during the series against Afghanistan as well as a few Asia Cup games before travelling to India for the World Cup.
Bradburn stated that he is "aligned" with Arthur in order to instill aggression in the Pakistan team.
"We're one voice, and we've been very good coaching associates and friends for a long, long time," Bradburn explained.
"Mickey and I talk every day… He's an important component of the new direction we want to take this team. We're incredibly excited to have Mickey on board, but for me, he's on board every day."
Bradburn and Arthur's aggressive strategy has also been approved by chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, as they intend to be more proactive throughout the 50-over game's middle overs.
"We're working hard on developing some skills to really attack that middle over period with some hostility — not only with the bat, but also with the ball and our field placements," Bradburn explained.
"The choice was easy, and with Mr. Inzi (Inzamam-ul-Haq) on board, it's amazing to have such experience… He's very much in line with the present selection panel's ideas, and we're extremely happy with the lineup we've chosen."