October 06, 2007	Saturday	Ramazan 23, 1428

KARACHI, Oct 5: Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson demanded more respect for captain Shoaib Malik after his team lost the first Test against South Africa by 160 runs on Friday.

Shoaib did not attend the post-match press conference after the game.

“I didn’t ask him if he was too embarrassed to come for the presser. That is an extremely offensive question. Show a little respect to the captain of Pakistan,” Lawson retorted when asked about the skipper’s absence.

Lawson, who played 49 Tests for Australia, praised Shoaib’s captaincy.

“It’s a little different to Twenty20,” said Lawson, whose team finished runners-up to India in the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa last month.

“He’s a young captain and he is learning. He did some really good things out there. He did some things we will also discuss,” said Lawson.

“He’s a young man finding his way in a country that expects a lot from its leaders. With the bat, he batted like a leader. He’s going to get better and better.”

Lawson described the selection of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf for the second Test as “fascinating”.

“Yousuf is training very hard at the moment,” said Lawson of the batsman, who pulled out of the first Test due to lack of match fitness.

“I haven’t seen Inzamam. He’s relatively fit. Lahore promises to be a special occasion. I hope he gets two hundreds on the occasion,” said Lawson.—AFP