Misbah, Younis’ return to bolster struggling Pakistan

Published April 28, 2015
KHULNA: Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez stretches during a practice session ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh.—AFP
KHULNA: Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez stretches during a practice session ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh.—AFP

KHULNA: Pakistan hope the return of skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and experienced batsman Younis Khan will help them bounce back from their lowest point in international cricket on the miserable tour of Bangladesh when the two-Test series opens in Khulna on Tuesday.

The tour has been a nightmare for the Pakistanis so far, with a 3-0 whitewash in the one-day series being followed by their first-ever defeat to Bangladesh in a Twenty20 International.

Bangladesh won their first One-day International against Pakistan in 16 years on their way to a historic series win to sour Azhar Ali’s first assignment as Pakistan’s ODI captain.

The two senior players were not part of the limited-overs squad with Misbah, who turns 41 next month, having quit one-day cricket after the World Cup and Younis, 37, not selected.

Younis is only 506 runs away from overtaking Javed Miandad’s tally of 8,832 runs as Pakistan’s leading Test scorer and holds the Pakistan record of 28 Test centuries.

“They are very experienced and Pakistan has usually done well when they are around,” said 19-year-old batsman Sami Aslam. “Both are world-class players and they are sure to make the difference in the series.”

Pakistan, who fielded a new-look side in the one-day series retaining just four of the squad who played in the World Cup, have selected nearly the same Test squad that beat Australia 2-0 and drew with New Zealand 1-1 in the United Arab Emirates before the World Cup.

Ranked only eighth in one-day cricket, Misbah’s squad are fourth behind South Africa, Australia and England in the Test standings.

“Tests are entirely different and I am pretty confident my team will do better in this format,” said Sami, who could make his Test debut after making a fluent 45 on his one-day debut last week.

A confident Bangladesh are looking to improve their underwhelming Test record, having won just seven and lost 70 of their 88 matches since being granted full status in 2000.

Of the seven wins, five came against fellow Test minnows Zimbabwe and two against an under-strength West Indies side in 2009.

Bangladesh have lost all eight Tests against Pakistan, but leading all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan hoped the confidence gained from the limited-overs wins would ensure a better showing.

JUNAID Khan bowls in the nets.—AFP
JUNAID Khan bowls in the nets.—AFP

“I think this will be a good series if we can show the same level of play and confidence,” Shakib told reporters in Khulna. “If Pakistan have an experienced batting line-up, we too have a number of batsmen in form. And we have a better bowling attack and the fielding too is good. This will be a tight series.”

Wicket-keeper/batsman Mushfiqur Rahim returns to lead the Test side in place of limited-overs captain Mashrafe Mortaza.

The hosts will be high on confidence in the Test series.

“Lowest point and very embarrassing to be honest,” former captain Ramiz Raja said after the team’s fourth successive defeat on the tour.

He found the team’s limited overs approach ‘a throwback to the 80’s and 90’s’ and blamed the coaching staff, led by his former team mate Waqar Younis.

“I was hoping that the situation would improve but there is hardly any new direction given by the new coaching staff,” said the cricketer-turned-commentator.

Ramiz was particularly disappointed with spinner Saeed Ajmal who returned from a bowling ban because of an illegal action and managed only one wicket in three of the four matches, bleeding runs heavily.

“He is clearly a bit uneasy and uncomfortable, lacks confidence. It will be difficult for him to bowl at the level he was bowling for Pakistan a year back,” the former captain said.

Pakistan lost four players through injuries in the limited overs series and will expect Misbah and former captain Younis to shore up their batting line-up.

Ramiz, however, reckoned Bangladesh would fancy finally beating Pakistan in a Test after going down in all eight previous meetings.

“I think Bangladesh should be relentless as this a golden chance for them to create history,” he said. “The pressure is on Pakistan... It’s going to be difficult as things can’t change dramatically as the coaching staff is the same; most of the players are same.

“But Pakistan have been hit by losses and injuries and it’s going to be a real challenge.”

The team continue to battle injuries with paceman Rahat Ali being ruled out of the Test series after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Pakistan have decided against seeking a replacement as leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who missed the ODI series with a hand injury, has recovered and is available for selection for the first Test.

The second Test will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from May 6 to 10.

Teams (from):

BANGLADESH: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Litton Das, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Shuvagata Hom, Soumya Sarkar, Taijul Islam, Jubair Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Shahadat Hossain and Mohammad Shahid.

PAKISTAN: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Sami Aslam, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Sarfraz Ahmed, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Imran Khan.

Umpires: Nigel Llong (England) and Ranmore Martinesz (Sri Lanka).

TV umpire: Sharfuddoula Saikat (Bangladesh).

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand).

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2015

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