KARACHI: Buoyed up by a comprehensive 141-run triumph in their second Test against New Zealand, Pakistan will reach Napier from Wellington on Tuesday (today) full of confidence ahead of the series decider that will get underway from December 11.
A senior Pakistan team official told ‘The News’ from Wellington on Monday that his boys were over the moon after claiming their first Test win in almost three years and are now aiming to better that showing in Napier for a series-winning triumph.
“The boys are in high spirits,” said Abdul Raqib, the team manager. “It is natural to feel elated because we’ve not been winning any Tests for quite some time and badly needed a good result here,” he added.
Raqib said that the players’ body language has changed overnight following Pakistan’s first Test victory since January 2007 and now the tourists look set for a win in the final Test in Napier.
“We will certainly have a psychological edge (over New Zealand) after having won the second Test so comprehensively,” he said. “Our team has received a huge boost and I’m confident that we will go on to win this series.”
Pakistan are hoping to wrap up their tour of New Zealand with a victory in the Napier Test — a result that would give them a much-needed shot in the arm ahead of the more challenging assignment against Australia.
The Pakistanis will be touring Australia for three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International. The series will begin with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from December 26.
“Obviously we would love to head for Australia after ending this series on a winning note,” said the team manager. “Our players are aware of it and I’m sure that they would carry on the momentum in Napier.”
Pakistan will be pinning much of their hope in comeback pacer Mohammad Asif, who has so far picked up 17 wickets in the series at a fabulous average of 15.17.
Asif, who spent almost two years on the sidelines because of injury and suspension, bagged nine wickets in the Wellington victory, including 5-67 in the second innings. Raqib said that Asif has shown no signs of fatigue or injury after making a successful comeback, adding that the fast bowler is now looking to do even better in Napier.
“Asif is super fit these days and is hungrier for wickets than ever before,” he said. “His teammates share that hunger because after a series of losses and close shaves, they’ve finally won a Test,” he said.
Pakistan lost both the Test and ODI series on the tour of Sri Lanka last summer, after succumbing in a few matches from seemingly-winning positions. Against New Zealand in Dunedin, Pakistan once again finished on the losing side despite bowling themselves in a strong position. They eventually lost by 32 runs.
Team officials are hoping that the players will improve their performance in the batting and fielding departments.Pakistan’s catching has so far been awful on this tour but Raqib was hopeful that things will be better in Napier.
“It was quite disappointing to see so many dropped catches but the boys were complaining of visibility problems and a strong breeze (in Wellington). But there can’t be any excuses and the boys will certainly be working hard in that area.”
Batting, too, has proved to be Pakistan’s Achilles heals though youngster Umar Akmal has been a shining star in the series.
The 19-year-old hit a stunning 129 on his debut in Dunedin and has since piled up 302 runs from four innings at a healthy 75.5 with the help of one ton and two fifties.
Umar’s elder brother Kamran has also done well with knocks of 82, 27 and 70. Skipper Mohammad Yousuf finally overcame his lean patch with an impressive 83 in the second Test.
But other batters including former captain Shoaib Malik, openers Salman Butt, Imran Farhat and Misbah-ul-Haq have so far been quite unimpressive.
There are indications that for the Napier Test the team management might opt to axe Malik and replace him with Faisal Iqbal, the middle-order batsman who is yet to get any opportunity in the series.
However, a final decision will only be taken once Yousuf and team coach Intikhab Alam take a long, hard look at the playing conditions in Napier.
Source
A senior Pakistan team official told ‘The News’ from Wellington on Monday that his boys were over the moon after claiming their first Test win in almost three years and are now aiming to better that showing in Napier for a series-winning triumph.
“The boys are in high spirits,” said Abdul Raqib, the team manager. “It is natural to feel elated because we’ve not been winning any Tests for quite some time and badly needed a good result here,” he added.
Raqib said that the players’ body language has changed overnight following Pakistan’s first Test victory since January 2007 and now the tourists look set for a win in the final Test in Napier.
“We will certainly have a psychological edge (over New Zealand) after having won the second Test so comprehensively,” he said. “Our team has received a huge boost and I’m confident that we will go on to win this series.”
Pakistan are hoping to wrap up their tour of New Zealand with a victory in the Napier Test — a result that would give them a much-needed shot in the arm ahead of the more challenging assignment against Australia.
The Pakistanis will be touring Australia for three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International. The series will begin with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne from December 26.
“Obviously we would love to head for Australia after ending this series on a winning note,” said the team manager. “Our players are aware of it and I’m sure that they would carry on the momentum in Napier.”
Pakistan will be pinning much of their hope in comeback pacer Mohammad Asif, who has so far picked up 17 wickets in the series at a fabulous average of 15.17.
Asif, who spent almost two years on the sidelines because of injury and suspension, bagged nine wickets in the Wellington victory, including 5-67 in the second innings. Raqib said that Asif has shown no signs of fatigue or injury after making a successful comeback, adding that the fast bowler is now looking to do even better in Napier.
“Asif is super fit these days and is hungrier for wickets than ever before,” he said. “His teammates share that hunger because after a series of losses and close shaves, they’ve finally won a Test,” he said.
Pakistan lost both the Test and ODI series on the tour of Sri Lanka last summer, after succumbing in a few matches from seemingly-winning positions. Against New Zealand in Dunedin, Pakistan once again finished on the losing side despite bowling themselves in a strong position. They eventually lost by 32 runs.
Team officials are hoping that the players will improve their performance in the batting and fielding departments.Pakistan’s catching has so far been awful on this tour but Raqib was hopeful that things will be better in Napier.
“It was quite disappointing to see so many dropped catches but the boys were complaining of visibility problems and a strong breeze (in Wellington). But there can’t be any excuses and the boys will certainly be working hard in that area.”
Batting, too, has proved to be Pakistan’s Achilles heals though youngster Umar Akmal has been a shining star in the series.
The 19-year-old hit a stunning 129 on his debut in Dunedin and has since piled up 302 runs from four innings at a healthy 75.5 with the help of one ton and two fifties.
Umar’s elder brother Kamran has also done well with knocks of 82, 27 and 70. Skipper Mohammad Yousuf finally overcame his lean patch with an impressive 83 in the second Test.
But other batters including former captain Shoaib Malik, openers Salman Butt, Imran Farhat and Misbah-ul-Haq have so far been quite unimpressive.
There are indications that for the Napier Test the team management might opt to axe Malik and replace him with Faisal Iqbal, the middle-order batsman who is yet to get any opportunity in the series.
However, a final decision will only be taken once Yousuf and team coach Intikhab Alam take a long, hard look at the playing conditions in Napier.
Source
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