'Pakistan can turn tables on India'

Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar believes his team can give India a run for its money in the three-Test series starting Thursday.

Despite the 2-3 reversal in the one-day series, Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar believes his team can give India a run for its money in the three-Test series starting in Delhi on Thursday.

The flamboyant paceman said the hosts were the better outfit in the ODI rubber, but Pakistan would make every effort to tame the home team in the longer form of the game.

"Our bowlers and batsmen did not click as much as the Indians. India played better cricket than us," the 'Rawalpindi Express' said in an exclusive interview with PTI.

Akhtar said Younus Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq would be the cornerstones of Pakistan batting in the upcoming series.

"Even our captain (Shoaib Malik) got his form back in the final ODI," he said.

The bowling also has a strong look to it, Akhtar felt.

"The return of pacer Mohammad Sami and spinner Danish Kaneria is definitely going to strengthen our bowling attack in the Test matches, not to forget myself," he stated.

The Indian team included some of the best players in the world, but Akhtar believed it could be beaten.

"We will leave no stones unturned to win the Test series and despite the fact that they (India) have the world class trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid and a bowler like Anil Kumble, we will play to our potential."

However, Akhtar said he did not consider any specific batsman as his target in the coming series.

"For me, every Indian batsman is a target. I can't say that I would be looking for wickets of Sachin and Sourav and would spare others."