KARACHI: Insisting that without adopting innovative and aggressive approach Pakistan cannot salvage their pride in the second Test against Bangladesh, former captain Mohammad Yousuf has urged his countrymen to rely on their pace bowling.

“Draw in the first Test [in Khulna] was victory for Bangladesh, the way they fought in the second innings,” Yousuf, one of the most stylish Test batsmen of his time, said in an interview on Monday.

The second and final Test of the series starts on Wednesday in Dhaka.

He praised rising Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal for an awesome double hundred under pressure.

“It was the greatest knock by the Bangladesh batsman in a Test match,” 40-year-old Yousuf maintained.

Yousuf insists Pakistan have the bowling to shake home batsmen in Bangladesh.

“Though wickets are slow but still Pakistan have got some firepower in their pace bowling to trouble host batsmen.”

He favoured the inclusion of young right-arm paceman Imran Khan, who he said, could reverse­-swing the old ball, adding.

“Using three spinners is a negative approach because we possess a formidable pace attack.”

The ace batsman added: “Waqar, himself being a former pace gre­at, can teach his fast bow­­l­ers something different to win the second Test.

“Pakis­tan need to employ their pace battery of Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan and Imran in the Dhaka Test.”

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2015

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