We can win the World Cup, says Misbah-ul-Haq

Adelaide, Mar 15: Having secured a World Cup quarter-finals berth after outplaying Ireland in their final league game, Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq is confident of going all the way to win the 50-over showpiece event for the second time.

WC 2015 Quarter-final Teams, Venues, Schedule" title="Match Report; World Cup Special; WC 2015 Quarter-final Teams, Venues, Schedule" />Match Report; World Cup Special; WC 2015 Quarter-final Teams, Venues, Schedule

"Of course, we can win the World Cup. We have the momentum. The bowling is doing really well, the batting is beginning to do its part," Misbah said after the seven-wicket win against Ireland in their final Pool B encounter here today.

Pakistan, who have won four ODIs on the trot after losing to India and West Indies in the first two matches, face Australia in the last-eight encounter on Friday and Misbah feels that they can stun the co-hosts on a given day. "On the day, anything can happen.

We have the bowling line-up that can surprise any team," said Misbah. Misbah admitted the team was under pressure before facing a tricky Ireland, who had beaten them in the 2007 edition, in a must-win encounter.

"This was a pressure game, a game more pressure for us than, say, a quarterfinal," he said.

Pakistan rode on wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed's unbeaten 101 to chase down a modest 238-run target with 23 balls to spare. Misbah was all praise for the way Sarfraz went about his innings.

"Sarfraz's was a brilliant knock. It was a much-needed knock. I am very happy how he went on and stayed there till the end," he said.

The bowlers, ably led by Wahab Riaz (3-54), also did their bit to restrict Ireland to 237 all out on a good batting surface. Misbah did not forget to put int a word for the pace battery.

"I give a lot of credit to the fast bowlers. It was a slow pitch but they bowled their hearts out. They took wickets at regular intervals and restricted Ireland," said Misbah.

PTI