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Pak-India match will charge up players: Ramiz

KARACHI (Agencies) - Playing in India always charges up and brings something special out of Pakistani cricketers, said former captain Ramiz Raja, who feels if Pakistan clashes with their neighbours in the ICC World Cup 2011 semifinal it would be a great advertisement for cricket.

"I don't think it will make a difference to our team who they play but if they are playing against India at Mohali in the semi final, it will definitely charge up the players because I know from experience that playing in India always brings out something special in our cricketers," he said. "So even if India makes the semi final I don't think we have anything to fear," he added.

Raja believes it would be difficult to break the winning momentum of the Pakistan team after their crushing 10-wicket win over West Indies in quarterfinals on Wednesday and said Shahid Afridi and his men now stand a good chance of becoming the world champions.

"I credit this welcome change in the Pakistan team to an improved dressing room atmosphere, strong bench strength and the management's will to enforce discipline and make strong selection decisions," Ramiz told a TV channel from Dhaka after Pakistan beat the West indies in the quarterfinal on Wednesday.

Ramiz, a member of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup winning team and a noted commentator and expert, said that in his long career in Pakistan cricket he had never seen a more united outfit where players were keen to fight for their places.