The presence of former leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed in England's camp has got the Pakistan team worried ahead of their opening clash against the hosts in the ICC World Cup Twenty20 on Sunday.
The presence of former leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed in England's camp has got the Pakistan team worried ahead of their opening clash against the hosts in the ICC World Cup Twenty20 on Sunday.
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The England team management has specially recruited the services of Mushtaq as bowling consultant for the English summer that includes the World Cup and the Ashes series.
England requested Sussex to release Mushtaq for the season to help out the English bowlers in the summer.
Sources in the Pakistan team said coach Intikhab Alam and some of the players are worried as Mushtaq might prove to be a big help to England team in the coming match.
"Obviously he knows Pakistan cricket and the players inside out and if he decides to help England prepare for the match it would make things difficult for us," a source in the team said.
Mushtaq, who played 52 Tests and 144 ODIs, had a successful career with Sussex with plenty of Twenty20 experience, having played 29 matches of the shortest form of the game.
The 38-year-old spinner was present in the English dressing room with chief coach Andy Flower during the warm up match against Scotland yesterday.
Sources said Mushtaq's tips and advice to the English batsmen on how to tackle the Pakistani spinners, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal in particular could prove to be decisive in the opening match.
"Don't forget Mushie has also worked as assistant coach and bowling coach with the Pakistan team when Inzamam-ul-Haq was captain so he has a fair rundown on the present bunch of players," one source said.
Pakistan play one more warm-up match against India today before playing the World Cup opener at the Oval against the home side which are looking to do well in T20 cricket under their new coaching staff.
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