New Delhi: Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan is confidenthis team will fare better on their South African tour than India, who lost the Test series2-1.

The team gave a good account of themselves in the practice match against Restof South Africa and Younis, who scored 76, said the team was in a positiveframe of mind going into the three-Test series against the Proteas starting inCenturion on January 11.

"It is just as well we started on the front foot because we have only afew days before the first Test. I am confident we can do better than India, whonarrowly lost the series here," he wrote in a website.

"We have a strong and well balanced squad and the bowlers in particularare looking good," he said.

India lost the recent seriesagainst Graeme Smith's men after winning the first Test in Johannesburgbefore going down in Durban and Cape Town.

Younis, one of the mainstays of Pakistanbatting, has returned to cricket after the death of his brother Farman Ali Khanin a car accident in Germanylast month.

The Pakistanvice-captain had also lost his father and another brother not too long ago.

"It has been a very sad time for me and my family after my brother passedaway but I am hoping cricket will help me to get through this difficult time inmy life," Khan wrote.

Khan said he was trying to keep his mind off the personal bereavement byfocussing on the South African tour.

"I am trying to focus on my cricket in South Africa and it will help metake my mind off the sadness. It is important that I concentrate on cricket aswe have the World Cup in two months and I have to focus on my game," hesaid.