KARACHI, Oct 11: Pakistan have to tackle top-ranked Test side South Africa with a totally different mindset and approach the upcoming two-match series without the fear of losing, according to former Test all-rounder and respected ex-cricket administrator Nasim-ul-Ghani.

Nasim, who played in 29 Tests for Pakistan from January 1958 to January 1973 after making his debut as a 16-year-old, told Dawn in an interview on Friday that an attacking option was the best way for Misbah-ul-Haq’s men to face the Graeme Smith-led Proteas in the UAE Tests.

“If Pakistan play with a positive attitude and cast aside the fear factor then I think they would stand a great chance. Over the years I have observed that whenever a team take a negative route they tend to allow opposition to dictate terms,” Nasim, who was also a member of the national team which participated in their first-ever One-day International against New Zealand at Christchurch in February 1973, said.

“We shouldn’t forget that the game over the years has undergone significant changes and present-day cricket has become fast-paced. Today, with a plethora of ODIs and Twenty20 games, we get outright results in Tests, something which was missing previously.”

Nasim, a former national chief selector who later officiated as the ICC match referee in two Tests and seven ODIs in 1996, believed the Pakistan spinners’ show would determine the outcome of the Test series.

“There is no doubt about it. Saeed Ajmal’s exploits is well documented as a world-class off-spinner with ‘doosra’ obviously being his main wicket-taking weapon. Abdur Rehman is an experienced campaigner and has been an excellent foil to Saeed with his wily slow-left-armers,” Nasim pointed out.

“But in my view Zulfiqar Babar could be the surprise package in the series. Of what I have briefly seen him on TV, I’m highly impressed. He is a left-armer who has this knack of picking up wickets and has, in his armoury, some variations that may well make life difficult for the South Africans because they have not played against him before.”

Nasim stressed the use of Decision Review System (DRS) in the Tests would make for an absorbing series despite the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s decision to exclude the Hot Spot technology because of high production costs.

“It is no big deal that the hot spot won’t be there [in the Pakistan-South Africa series] but the [TV] umpires will have access to ball-tracking and audio aids. The DRS, despite a lot of criticism from some quarters, does has its value because it is an attempt to minimise human errors,” the 72-year-old Nasim remarked.

“And if the pitches remain low throughout the series then there would be a fair amount of pressure on the umpires since the teams would be appealing constantly for LBWs and bat/pad catches. The spinners would be more in action than fast bowlers, especially in Pakistan’s case.”

Nasim, who had also served as an International Cricket Council (ICC) administrator when he worked with the ICC Cricket Committee before being appointed the development manager for the Asian region, reckoned Moin Khan would have to play a key role as team manager to ensure the Pakistan camp functions a happy group.

“The credentials of Moin are quite impressive, to say the least. He is a sharp-minded individual who reads the situation very well and acts accordingly. I’ve had the privilege to watch Moin from the days he captained the Pakistan Under-19 side. He is a great motivator [of players] and can bring out the best from every single player,” Nasim opined.

“Nothing succeeds like success and Moin has to contribute his bits and lift spirits of the people under his command, including head coach Dav Whatmore, to make the Pakistan dressing room one happy area. If the enjoyment sense is missing altogether then what is the point of playing at all,” he expressed.

“Each player should be welcomed in the change room and all of them must enjoy each other’s success and buck up one another, particularly in times of stress. These are the basic ingredients of how great teams [in history] perform on the field. Presently, we may not necessarily have the world’s best team but we can surely give our best all the way to prove that Pakistan can be winners on their day,” he emphasised.

“Winning and losing are definite parts of the game because only one competing team can win a particular match. But the team which lose should at least fight it out until the very end. Just by following this simple notion, we can avoid the inevitable spate of criticism both against the team and the management,” he stressed.

Nasim, meanwhile, paid glowing tribute to Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar who on Thursday announced that he would hang up his boots next month after playing the 200th Test of his career against the West Indies.

“No matter how much you say, words aren’t enough to describe the tremendous achievements of probably the greatest batsman world has seen after Sir Donald Bradman. Sachin without a shadow of doubt deserves to be mentioned as the finest batsman of his era and there were many who played in this period. People should not judge him only by his records but by his humbleness and simplicity too. He just kept things simple!” Nasim concluded.