By IANS
New Delhi : Pakistani captain Shoaib Malik said here Thursday that whichever team will show more patience will win the One-Day International series against India starting in Guwahati Monday.
“Whatever kind of pitches you make in the subcontinent they are such that a total of 300 is easily gettable,” Malik said at his first press conference in the evening barely two hours after the team landed here from Lahore.
“The team that will keep patience will win,” he said at the hotel Le Meridian a day before his team plays a warm-up match against Delhi at the Ferozeshah Kotla here.
Malik, who took over from Inzamam-ul-Haq after Pakistan’s first-round exit at the World Cup in March, said India would enjoy the home advantage.
“We had a very close (ODI) series with South Africa, and India is playing well at the moment. I believe the team that will make the lesser number of mistakes will win. Of course, India will have the home advantage,” said the 25-year-old right-handed batsman.
Pakistan lost the five-match ODI series 2-3 to South Africa.
India, on the other hand, also lost a home series recently. Australia clinched the seven-match ODI contest 4-2.
Malik was relieved that Rahul Dravid was not in the Indian team for the first two ODIs for which the squad has been announced.
“He is a very good player. The Indian team as a whole has good players. But it is good that Dravid is not playing the first two matches,” he said.
Asked who among the Indian batsmen was the biggest threat for Pakistan, Malik said: “All are good players, but Yuvraj Singh is in the best form among them.”
Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson felt that if the batsmen raise their game during the tour, which also comprises three Tests, his team could be a force to reckon with.
“If we can get some consistent great batting we can do well,” said the former Australia tearaway.
Lawson, particularly, lauded Misbah-ul-Haq’s batting