Waqar hopeful of reaching Champs Trophy

Pakistan's coach Waqar Younis expressed confidence the cricket squad would achieve targets in Tests and one-day series as they set off for a tour of Sri Lanka on Monday.

Pakistan will play three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s on their tour of Sri Lanka, with the aim of qualifying for the 2017 Champions Trophy.

Pakistan must beat Sri Lanka to get to the eighth spot or better before the September 30 cut off date for the Champions Trophy, which will feature the top eight teams.

Waqar said he believed the team would reach the Champions Trophy.

"We have set targets for Tests as well as one-day series and hope that the team does well on the tour to achieve the targets and I am confident that we will qualify for the Champions Trophy," Waqar told AFP.

Since Waqar took over in June last year, Pakistan had lost five one-day series before beating Zimbabwe at home 2-0 last month.

"As a coach there is always pressure on you, it's there even when you are winning. Unfortunately we have lost five series but you must consider a lot of factors -- the biggest of them all was losing Saeed Ajmal," said Waqar of the ace spinner not selected for the Tests against Sri Lanka.