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January 8, 1998
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We want to start with a win -- Azhar
Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin expressed his confidence that the team could start the new year by winning the three-nation Independence Cup in Bangladesh beginning January 10.
Talking to reporters at Calcutta airport on Wednesday night, en route to Dhaka, Azharuddin said his first priority on getting back the captaincy would be to restore the team to its winning ways.
With wife Sangeeta in tow, a relaxed Azharuddin said, "It is a new year, a new tournament, new thoughts. We are going to Bangladesh to win, we are a pretty good side and what better than to start the year off on a winning note!"
Asked if India was the favourite to win, Azhar said he wouldn't say so. "Pakistan might be depleted in the absence of Akram, Younis and Mushtaq Ahmad, but they are still a balanced side. There is no reason to undermine Bangladesh, even."
Asked about the batting order, Azharuddin said that Sidhu and Ganguly would open, with Azhar himself at first drop and Sachin at number four. However, coach Anshuman Gaikwad later told the media that the order would be determined as per the situation in each game, and added that if need be, Sachin too could open. The wickets in Dhaka, Gaikwad said, were liable to be slow turners.
Asked about team morale following the change of captaincy, Gaikwad said he had a talk with Sachin and was told the latter had no problems. "Sachin is sporting and gives his 100 per cent to the team always," the coach said.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Pakistan, an interesting development. Following Wasim Akram's resignation from the captaincy and, further, his public statement that he does not want to ever lead the side again, the Pakistan Cricket Board has come under some scrutiny. In this connection, it needs mentioning that Akram, among other things, had said that the board had not supported him when he was unfairly accused of bribery and match-fixing.
Thus, comes word that the Pakistan government, in the near future, is poised to move a bill in Parliament that dispenses with the PCB's autonomy and brings it under the purview of the ministry of sports.
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