An under-pressure Pakistan will be wary of a competent group of Afghanistan spinners and their ability to strike hard on an often-gripping MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch during Monday’s crucial game.

A win is mandatory for Babar Azam’s side after two consecutive defeats against India and Australia, as another slip-up will severely hamper their ambitions of reaching the semi-finals of this World Cup.

Currently, Pakistan are in the fifth position with four points from as many matches, but their net run rate of -0.456 is a worry and needs improvement.

However, opener Imam-Ul-Haq promised a “new” Pakistan will take the field against Afghanistan following back-to-back defeats in this World Cup.

“We have played four matches and we won two and lost as many. But we are confident. We will accept that we did not play well in the last two matches,” Imam said on Sunday.

“We will have to perform up to the mark. It matters a lot how you play on the given day. You can talk as much as you want. But it’s about how you play on the day.

“We have talked about it. And you’ll see a new team tomorrow (Monday).”

The Pakistani spinners have been unable to make an impact in the competition so far, and the pitch being a spin-friendly one here could allow them to get back among the wickets.

When asked if the preparations would largely be spin-focused considering Afghanistan have the likes of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman, Imam said: “I don’t believe there’s scope of any extra practice now.

“We have already done the preparations. We have played (ODIs) against Afghanistan in Hambantota, where we won 3-0, and they were also spin-friendly venues.

“This, too, is a spin-friendly ground. We know that, but it’s just that every individual has his own set of preparations and we really back them and their abilities.”

Pakistan though will need a significant contribution, especially from skipper Babar, who’s yet to live up to his reputation in this World Cup. It’s high time Babar gets a big one and regains his flow.

PTI