Aaqib vs Waqar -- World Cup turns friends into foes!

Once upon a time they were comrades; they played together and coached together. Now they are on opposite benches and will only be happy when the other side is beaten.

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Such is professional sport today; one day you are friends and close mates, the, down the road, you could end up as rivals.

That will be the case when Aaqib Javed-coached United Arab Emirates take on Waqar Younis-tutored Pakistan at the picturesque McLean Park in Napier at the ongoing ICC World Cup.

They were on the same side during the 1996 World Cup, and should have been in 1992 as well, when Imran Khan led Pakistan to glory, but Waqar had to be withdrawn due to injury.

Aaqib stepped in and performed a commendable job for his captain and country in taking home the hardware the last time the World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand.

One can only imagine what it would have been for these pace merchants with the ball in hand on Wednesday. All we are left with are those in their tutelage to do the bidding for them.

Pakistan, a team of professional cricketers who play quite unlike it, are heavily favoured against a ragtag of amateurs from the Emirates with 9-to-5 jobs but are trying to perform like professionals and leave their mark at the World Cup.

Heading in to the World Cup, Aaqib wanted to temper the expectations for his side by setting reasonable and realizable goals for them.

"You have to be careful when you go to a World Cup, especially the 50-overs' World Cup. You have to plan things which are doable and set targets that are achievable. We have detailed thoughts on these and we will come out with a plan, 'let’s go to the World Cup and win two games', so, we are focused only on two wins at the 2015 World Cup."

Those two achievable wins, one would assume, were to be against Ireland and Zimbabwe.

One-half of Aaqib's expectations almost came true, when, after being in a winning position, UAE saw Ireland snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Following that, they were routed by India on a pacy WACA pitch in Perth.

If the UAE are to meet their coach's pre-tournament expectations they will have to perform a giant-killing act and take down the team he used to play for. Pakistan.

Speaking to The National, Aaqib had suggested that he will have no qualms about putting an end to the World Cup campaign of the county of his birth.

"Playing against Pakistan or any other side, it is not going to make any difference," Aaqib said, highlighting the fact that he has a job to do as coach and emotion will have no role to play.

"I have no emotional attachment. I’m not an emotional person."

Pakistan, after being soundly beaten by India and the West Indies were teetering before they pulled off a morale-boosting win over Zimbabwe on the back of their fast bowlers. They will dearly want to avoid the banana skin against UAE.

Surely, if there is one person who can provide the UAE players with the nous to handle the Pakistan quicks and prepare them for what is coming, it is Aaqib.

There will surely be hugs, smiles and greetings before the game. But after it, only one of them will be left smiling.