Pakistan on facing USA in grudge match: Learn from the past, don't dwell on it

Here's the full transcript of Pakistan fast bowler Salman Mirza's press conference ahead of their Februar 10 match against the USA. 

[Reporter:]

You follow cricket, you must have seen the match in 2024, when America gave a shocking defeat to Pakistan. Did you talk about it in the group and have you forgotten it?

[Salman Mirza:]

This happens often in cricket. It is a past and we can only learn from it. Our focus is on the next match. The group is preparing well and we will be focused on that.

[Reporter:]

The first match of this tournament was a tough one. Pakistan won with a lot of difficulty. Now the second match is an important one. What preparations have you made for the second match, so that Pakistan's victory is easy and people's tension level is also normal?

[Salman Mirza:]

It's the World Cup and all the matches are important, whether is the first, second or final. If you follow the World Cup, you will see that all the games are close. This is the beauty of cricket, that close games are a must. And the main objective is to win the game. And Pakistan has won and we will try to win the next matches as well.

[Reporter:]

Salman, this will be your first ever night match on this ground, where you are playing tomorrow. So, conditions matter a lot. In the last match, we saw that the players did not adopt the conditions. Maybe they had not warmed up to the island. So, as a bowler, I saw that you adjusted the line-length very quickly. What are your plans in that regard and what are the conditions for tonight's game?

[Salman Mirza:]

As you said, it's the first game of the night. We can't decide on the conditions yet. But once we go on the pitch, we'll get a good idea of the conditions. When you're in the field, you'll get a clear picture. So, we'll plan accordingly. As the match goes deep, we'll plan accordingly.

[Reporter:]

Salman, suddenly you have become a very important part of the Pakistan team, You have been opening with Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah is sitting at the back. Because of you, he is not getting a place, or maybe because of the conditions. Is there any extra pressure on you because you are playing with Shaheen Afridi, our premier fast bowler?

Secondly, there is an important match against USA tomorrow. There is also a match on 15th of Feb. But have you had any discussions with your group regarding that match against India?

[Salman Mirza:]

Let me clear one thing first. No one plays in anyone's place, depending on the situation and conditions of the game the playing 11 are selected, whether I play, Shaheen or Naseem. Obviously, I have played with Shaheen a lot before, so I have a good bonding with him. I have a good discussion with him and he helps me a lot, I also help him out a lot. We are focused on the coming match and we are focusing on the match one-to-one, whichever is coming up. And about the match on the 15th, that is the decision of the government, whatever they decide we will play accordingly.

[Reporter:]

Pakistan won the first match of the season, but the whole nation and the cricket fans were disappointed by that result. After defeating Australia in the series at 3-0 - was that a shock or was that a normal game? Or was it an eye opener for you guys within the group?

[Salman Mirza:]

Obviously when you play a match, a lot of things are like an eye opener. We will try not to make the same mistakes as we did in the first match. We will learn from it and play good cricket. Even though we have won 3-0, it gives you confidence. But it is a World Cup game and it keeps changing. Sometimes your game plans change because of the pitch, sometimes the opponent team plays well. And in this tournament, as you can see, the matches are going well. And when all the players are playing - it's the player's job to stand out. Be that Faheem or Babar, or Shaheen - whoever it is. It is the players job to stand out and Faheem did very well.

[Reporter:]

My question is, tomorrow there will be a cricket match definitely. But these tricky games are psychologically very important. Pakistan lost the last match. So psychologically, how ready is Pakistan for the match against USA?

[Salman Mirza:]

Pakistan is ready for every challenge. We can learn from the past. We can't stick to the past. We can learn from the past but we have to improve our next games.

[Reporter:]

Salman, my question is that we have won against Netherlands with great difficulty. Now our match is against America. Is there any pressure from a weak team because of which we have to fight so hard?

[Salman Mirza:]

All matches are important. I don't think any team is weak or strong in T20 cricket. The team that plays good cricket on the given day will be good. Pakistan always tries to play good cricket and we will try to do the same in all the matches.

[Reporter:]

Yesterday was our first day light match in the SAC ground. We have never played a match before. How important is it for fast bowlers?

[Salman Mirza:]

Sir, when the match is played at night in the light, fast bowlers get a little help. But what the condition will be tomorrow, whether there is a dew factor or not, can be seen only in the match. And obviously, there is a little help in the night game. And tomorrow, we hope to get support in that.

[Reporter:]

Salman, in all the matches, the associate team has played a very good match. Yesterday, we saw the Nepal team played well against England. Do you think that in T20, all the teams are of the same kind? No one can say that this is an associate team, this is the team of the test playing nation. All are equal in T20.

[Salman Mirza:]

Yes sir, T20 is such a format in which the difference between small and big teams is not much. Because if a team does a good spell or innings, it makes a big difference in the match. You have seen this in front of you, the way the matches are being played. And this statement justifies it that there is no small or big team. The one who plays good cricket will win.

[Reporter:]

Salman, this is your first World Cup. When Salman was nominated, when your name came in the spot, what were your feelings? Because definitely everyone was talking about the Netherlands match and we didn't know that Salman Mirza will play the first match, when you came to know that you are playing the first match of the World Cup and you are

the opener, what were your feelings? On a lighter note?

[Salman Mirza:]

Sir, as a player when you represent Pakistan, your goal is to play the World Cup and do your best for your team. In the first World Cup, we obviously try to do the best for your team and all your preparation that you have been doing for all these years is for this day -

[Reporter:]

I'm also Sri Lankan but I don't speak Hindi like my friend here.

It is the first day-night match and obviously there's lots of things that aren't known, but in Sri Lanka it tends to move around a little bit at night. Is that something that you talked about the seamers in your team? That under lights there's a little bit extra for fast bowlers?

[Salman Mirza:]

Sir, this is the first game here in particular in Sri Lanka. But we have played a lot of cricket in under the lights and I think the condition will be the same and we will assess the conditions tomorrow and play accordingly.

[Reporter:]

As you said that the match on 15th is a government decision. But from the teams perspective are you preparing for this match or is your preparation process just for three matches in the group league?

[Salman Mirza:]

We are preparing for the entire World Cup. We will play accordingly to the team we have to play. It will be the decision of the government. We will do whatever is told to us.

[Reporter:]

We could see USA bowling attack was very impressive at the India match in early stage. So how do you rate this bowling attack as a fast bowler?

[Salman Mirza:]

Sir, they have bowled brilliant in the last game but I think we have strong batting line-up to tackle that bowling line-up and hopefully we'll play that good cricket and do the