Aussie win can really kick-start our challenge - Waqar

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

KANDY, Sri Lanka, March 15 (Reuters) - Pakistan are already safely through to the World Cup quarter-finals but coach Waqar Khan is putting a very high premium on their final “dead rubber” with Australia.

Victory in Colombo on Saturday could give the winners the top spot in Group A which would mean they would play the fourth-ranked side from Group B in the last eight.

“If you win, then you can leave a mark,” Waqar told reporters in Kandy after Monday’s seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe saw them through.

“But the bigger thing is the momentum. Also beating the world champions will give us a lot more of a confidence booster.”

Australia, four-times champions and winners of the last three tournaments, have not lost a game in their last 33 World Cup matches since 1999.

Waqar knows that beating Australia will take a considerable improvement for his team which followed a super 11-run win over Sri Lanka on Feb. 26 by crashing to New Zealand on March 8.