Bouncer tactics don't bother Pakistan's Mahmood

Pakistan expect to face plenty of bouncers from England after struggling against short-pitched fast bowling from the West Indies in their World Cup opener, coach Azhar Mahmood said on Sunday.

Several Pakistan batsmen were undone by the aggression of the West Indies' fast bowlers as they collapsed to 105 all out and a seven-wicket defeat at Trent Bridge on Friday, and they now return to Nottingham to face in-form hosts and favourites England, who opened the World Cup with a 104-run thrashing of South Africa at The Oval.

Hashim Amla was ruled out of South Africa's match against Bangladesh with a head injury after being struck on the helmet by England paceman Jofra Archer and Mahmood knows Pakistan can expect more of the same.

"We didn't handle the short ball really well and we practised a lot, and we know it will come," Mahmood told reporters at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

"When teams come from the subcontinent, the other teams will use those sort of tactics," added Mahmood, a former all-rounder with English counties Surrey and Kent.

"All the teams will bowl short against us so we are practising, and we've done it before, so I think we need to move on and concentrate on the next game."
"Our fielding was not up to the mark and we give an extra bonus because we had an inexperienced bowling line-up. They need to learn from their mistakes."