KARACHI, July 29: While complimenting the national team for their triumph in the One-day International and Twenty20 International series against the West Indies, former skipper Rashid Latif on Monday said introduction of young guns for the shortest format was very encouraging.

`With an eye on the 2015 World Cup, Pakistan team must improve their bench strength and back-up,` Rashid said in an interview on Monday on Pakistan`s 3-1 series win in ODIs and 2-0 victory in the Twenty20 rubber.

Rashid reckoned players like Umar Amin, Harris Sohail and Ahmed Shehzad were future of Pakistan batting line-up.

The former dashing Test gloveman, however, expressed his dismay over dropping of talented Asad Shafiq after the first two ODIs in the Caribbean.

`Asad deserves full opportunities to give him a confidence and boost to get the best out of him,` Rashid, a veteran of 37 Tests and 166 ODIs, maintained. `Youngsters should be given enough opportunities to enable them to display their full potential and groom them for future.

`It was a very encouraging sign that Pakistan team did show a lot of fight in the ODI series and then in the two T20s too,` he underlined.He said players like Khurram Manzoor, Sohaib Maqsood and fast bowler Mohammad Talha should also be tested, saying they also possessed great potential.

`Remember there are still 18 months left before the 2015 World Cup is staged, and many competitions will be held before that mega event,` he underscored, adding this time should be utilised fully to build a strong pool of players for the World Cup.

Commenting on experienced pros Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi, Rashid emphasised Pakistan looking at the future must start looking to strengthen their back-up.

`Presently, no doubt both Misbah and Afridi are doing well. However, the selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board must have a futuristic view and they must keep an eye on the coming demands.

`There are no guarantees of the [current] form and fitness of Misbah and Afridi [and that of others]. So we must be prepared for everything and start developing a pool of talented [young] players for the World Cup.`-APP