KARACHI, Feb 13: Expressing the ambition to see his troops fight tooth and nail against the opposition and claiming the hosts are ready to deliver in all conditions, an upbeat Pakistan captain Younis Khan asserted on Friday his players have the talent to overcome Sri Lanka in the forthcoming two-Test series at home.

“We are well equipped and prepared to perform under all kinds of conditions,” Younis said in an interview on Friday. “We need the backing of the nation and the media, and we are capable of delivering for the country.”

The 31-year-old captain added that his team is not concerned about the nature of pitches that will be made for the Tests against Mahela Jayawardene’s men.

“We are capable of adjusting on all kinds of surfaces and not bothered by preparation of the tracks for the [Sri Lanka] series,” he pointed out.

However, he said Pakistani curators should not be misled by the nature of (their) pitches themselves as happened in the home Test series against South Africa in 2007.

“We have the right combination. If we gel and everyone contributes to their potential we can topple Sri Lanka,” a beaming Younis, who has scored 4816 runs with the help of 15 centuries and 20 half-centuries in 58 Tests at a respectable average of 49.14, expressed.

The Test series will begin in Karachi on Feb 21.

The confident player asserted he is not under any sort of pressure.

“I know my job and feel no pressure to excel as captain and also to play my role as a batsman. My team is in the right frame of mind for the upcoming challenge [against Sri Lanka],” he said, adding that he wanted to form a winning combination in his team to match the side fielded by 1992 World Cup skipper Imran Khan.

“I am not afraid of defeat and all I want to see is my team play to the best of their ability without fearing for the results. Winning and losing is part and parcel of the game but the boys must fight it to the core,” he stressed.

Younis, who has amassed 5306 runs at 34.01 in 181 One-day Internationals since making his debut in February 2000 at Karachi, said the current Sri Lankan players are more experienced than those of Pakistan but added they were not excessively worried about the visitors’ batting or bowling strength.

“My mission as a captain is to get the best out of my team,” the right-handed middle-order batsman emphasised.

He said final shape of the 15-member Test squad will be known after the two-day warm-up game between Patron’s XI and the touring Sri Lankans, on Feb 17-18.

The Pakistan captain felt the ODI series loss to India might affect the Islanders’ confidence for the Pakistan Tests.

“The morale in the Sri Lankan camp must be low after their 4-1 loss to India in the ODI series recently. I know one-day cricket is a different ball game but it could carry its impact in Test matches too,” Younis added.

He said Pakistan got an experienced opener in Salman Butt with newcomers Nasir Jamshed and Khurram Manzoor, who are yet to make their Test debut, but added both are talented openers.

“We definitely want improvement in the opening department and I hope for positive results,” Younis said, hinting Pakistan may opt for left-right combination for the openers.

Expressing his satisfaction over the pace bowling section, Younis said: “We have good options in the pace attack with Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir and Yasir Arafat with good back-up.”

Defending keeping his boys away from the National Stadium by holding the team’s short training camp at the Quaid-i-Azam Park, Steel Township, he said the presence of large number of media personnel at the ground makes it difficult for players to remain fully focused.

“We want some privacy to fully focus on the training to prepare for the [Sri Lanka] series before making ourselves available to the media before the Test match,” he explained, hoping that media will fully realise the situation and help him in this regard.—APP