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Playing down the absence of fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik said that the presence of explosive striker Shahid Afridi would provide his team some psychological advantage in the much-awaited Twenty20 clash against India on Friday.

After the disastrous World Cup in the West Indies, in which both India and Pakistan made first round exits, the two sides are ready to square up against each other and Malik is banking on Afridi’s firepower to notch up a win against the arch-rivals.

“For us, any game against India is very special. My team is working hard and they are keen to go out and give their best against India,” Malik told reporters here on Tuesday.

“Actually, anyone can be a trump card in this version of the game. If a bowler gets two wickets in an over, or if a batsman gets you 15 runs in an over, he could turn the game on its head. But, having said that, we do have an advantage in having a player like Afridi in our ranks because getting a good start will be important.

“If the openers give a head start while batting, or if the bowlers do well in the first five-six overs, it can make a huge difference. It’s like the 100-metre race. Getting a good start is very important,” Malik said.

Source:Cricket News

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