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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s pace spearhead Umar Gul on Thursday expressed his disappointment over losing the highly-charged World Cup semi-final against arch-rivals India, accepting despite his all efforts he could not create jitters for the Indian batsmen.
Pakistani fans were dismayed after their team lost the high-voltage semi-final in Mohali by 29 runs on March 30 as Pakistan failed to beat India in a World Cup match for the fifth time.
“I tried my best that day to bowl within the stumps but I couldn’t, and I think it was not our day,” Umar told Dawn.
The Shahid Afridi-led team was banking heavily on Gul, their frontline fast bowler in the game’s most prestigious event, but the right-arm lanky paceman remained wicketless in the crucial fixture while conceding a whopping 69 runs in his eight overs.
“Though we had planned everything for the Indians but it didn’t work on that day,” added Umar. After the World Cup, Umar withdrew from the limited-overs leg of the West Indies tour.
“I requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a leave mainly because I want to give more time to my family as I had been playing cricket for almost seven months on the trot,” the pacer, who is undergoing strenuous physical training daily these days, remarked.
Regarding the Test series against the West Indies, Umar said: “I have maintained my training schedule and will be in action against the West Indies during the Test series.”
