LAHORE, April 16: Former great Hanif Mohammad was disappointed with Pakistan's dismal performance in the home series against India. Speaking by telephone to a TV programme, the Little Master said
that the way Pakistan team lost the crucial third Test so easily caused disappointment to him as well as to millions of cricket fans.
Hanif, who is a member of the Pakistan Cricket Board's newly formed advisory council, said that the Indian bowlers had gained good control in swinging the ball in the air and the Pakistani batsmen failed to cope. He said that the Pakistani bowlers laid more emphasis on speed and bowled off the wicket and thus remained unimpressive.
Hanif was all praise for the Indian batsmen who played long innings and succeeded in occupying the crease that helped their team to put pressure on the hosts. Another former Test skipper Intikhab Alam admitted that India outclassed Pakistan in all departments to complete One-day and Test series double and claimed there were several reasons for the defeats.
"Lack of a world class spinner has been one of the basic reasons. We have destroyed Saqlain Mushtaq while Danish Kaneria will take time to become a class act," The former captain believed that the selection of Fazle Akbar wrong and in his place Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan should have been given a chance.
Intikhab, who was the coach and manager of national team which won the 1992 World Cup said that Pakistani batsmen lacked skills to face swinging deliveries while its bowlers were undisciplined. "Indian bowlers bowled wicket to wicket and were more disciplined which in the end proved decisive" he opined.
