Butt upbeat after show of early form

NEW DELHI—Pakistan batsman Salman Butt is confident his team can overcome their problem with opening batsmen and shine on the Indian tour starting on Monday.
Butt himself has come into reckoning after scoring 83 off 84 balls in a one-day warm-up win over Delhi on Friday, having been omitted from the playing XI in the home one-day series defeat by South Africa last week.
Pakistan begin with a five-match one-day series in Guwahati and then are due to play three tests. “To have the innings in the back of your mind helps,” 23-year-old Butt told reporters on Saturday.
“It is a good thing to remember with a big series coming up but one has to play well on the given day.”
The talented Lahore batsman has scored all his three one-day hundreds against India, as opener, although he has struggled for a regular spot in eleven due to a lack of consistency. Butt was confident of a turnaround this time.
Pakistan are without retired Inzamam-ul Haq and will play the tough series under inexperienced skipper Shoaib Malik. “Inzamam has been a legend and we do miss him, but life goes on,” Butt said. “It makes room for new people to come and do well for themselves.
“The India series is a big opportunity wherever it is played, and new stars are always made.” Having given up vice-captaincy after being made Malik’s deputy in June, Butt said he was happy to focus on batting.
He said both teams were evenly matched and that there would be no let-up in the intensity of their clash, despite the teams having toured across the border every year since 2004. “We lost to South Africa and India to Australia, so both are in the same frame of mind,” he said.
“This is my third series between India and Pakistan and I’ve never done so many sessions with the media.”
He added: “It gives frequent chances for players to become heroes, make a name for themselves”.—Agencies