Atif Bashir looking to revenge the defeat against Bangladesh

Atif Bashir looking to revenge the defeat against Bangladesh

Barry Town and Pakistan star, Atif Bashir, claims that he is looking to exact revenge against Bangladesh, who defeated Pakistan 3-0 in the World Cup qualifiers earlier in July.

Atif Bashir, 26, has been one of the Green-Kickers most impressive performers in recent games. The versatile player who can slot in as a midfielder as well as a centre-back was arguably the man-of-the-match against Bangladesh in Lahore despite the home team
ending with a lackluster draw.

However the former Cardiff City man has reiterated his intentions before the SAFF Cup and claims that he will be looking to exact revenge against the Bengal Tigers, who are placed in the same group as Pakistan.

Speaking to reporters, the defender said that the game against Bangladesh was the first of the prestigious competition and it was his personal mission to make sure that his side picked up all three points.

"For me, it’s personal. It’s our first and upmost most important game of this tournament, and it’s Bangladesh which makes it even more exciting. Let’s hope it doesn’t backfire on us,” he said.

Bashir also commented on the World Cup qualifier that took place a few months ago and revealed that his team had failed to perform at home but could blame the pitch for their 3-0 defeat in Dhaka.

"I do believe we had a chance to progress (in the world cup qualifiers). Bangladesh is always an opponent that plays "no nonsense" football. But the world cup qualifiers were an unfortunate event.”

"Yes, the game (in Dhaka) should never have been played but in retrospect, we had a chance to prove (in the second leg) that on a decent pitch in Lahore, we are the better footballing side. But the fact is we didn’t at the time."

While Pakistan are not favourites to emerge with silverware in India, Bashir remains confident in his abilities and insists that he will be willing to give it all for his country.

"I definitely believe I have progressed as a person since playing for Pakistan. I count myself as a vital player for Pakistan and believe I have the right qualities to bring to the squad. I’m always willing to give 100 percent in every game I play and hopefully
that can lead to positive results (in the SAFF Championship),” the former Afan Lido man was quoted as saying.

With the inclusion of influential players such as Ahmed Khan, Adnan Ahmed and Atif Bashir, Pakistan have a decent enough squad but only time will tell if they can avenge their earlier defeat against Bangladesh.

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Posted by Shahrukh Sohail on Nov 29 2011. Filed under Pakistan, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry