September 26, 2007	Wednesday	Ramazan 13, 1428

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 25: Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson defended batsman Misbah-ul-Haq on Monday after they lost a thrilling World Twenty20 final to India.

With Pakistan needing six from four balls to win the game, an unorthodox shot saw Misbah getting caught at fine leg as he stepped across to the off-side.

”He’s played it well in this tournament and with a little more bat on it, it would have gone for four,” Lawson said. “I could see him playing it because fine leg was up, a yorker was coming so the shot was pretty much on the cards.”

”He’s been terrific — he’s 33, he’s been the top scorer in Pakistan domestic cricket for five years in a row and he’s been great in domestic Twenty20. He’s got a terrific cricket brain and I think you’ll see him around in Pakistan cricket for years to come.”

Lawson also saluted his side’s spirit after they bounced back from a disappointing World Cup campaign to come close to winning the tournament.

“Results apart, I’ve been really happy with the consistency our guys have shown. They’ve shown fight when they’ve been under pressure, and the final was no exception,” he added.

“If they had a bowler of the tournament award, I think Umar Gul would have won that, as he’s been outstanding.

”Mohammad Asif was good and we found Sohail Tanvir from somewhere to come out as a replacement. So there have been so many positives to come out of the tournament,” said the former Aussie pacer.

“But I’m a little bit tired of reading how disjointed and unharmonious the Pakistan team is, as people just don’t know what goes on in that dressing-room. They’re a terrific bunch of guys, and we’ve got all the ingredients to be a good side.”—Agencies