Pakistan v Australia Preview: Misbah-ul Haq is chasing a rare series win

Jaideep Marar 06:28 30/10/2014
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Optimistic: Misbah-ul Haq believes there are no concerns after the way his team played in the first Test.

    Stadium: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi 

    Time: 10:00
    Live on Ten Cricket 

    Australia have been the toughest opponents for Pakistan in the last two decades as they have not won a Test series against them since their home success in November 1994.

    While Australia have ruled, win­ning six of the seven Test series, Pakistan’s only solace was a drawn outcome in 2010.

    Now Misbah-ul Haq’s team have an opportunity to turn that abys­mal record around by winning the Abu Dhabi Test beginning today (Thursday). They have already taken a big step in the two-match series by winning the Dubai Test last week by 221 runs and success at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium will end their dry run against Australia.

    Buoyed by the Dubai victory, Misbah is confident his team can do an encore and pointed to his team’s record at the venue where they have not lost a Test match.

    Of the five games they have played in Abu Dhabi since 2010 Pakistan have won two – against England by 72 runs in 2012 and against South Africa by seven wick­ets in 2013 – and drawn the rest.

    “It is a very important match for us because we have not won a series against Australia for a long time,” Misbah said yesterday (Wednes­day). “The boys are confident and if we play with the same focus and determination as we did in Dubai then we can do it.

    “This pitch looks bit different and it’s more hard than Dubai. Looking at our strengths it is good for us because we have a really good record here,” he added.

    Pakistan are likely to retain the same combination that did duty in Dubai where the success was built on the batting exploits of Younis Khan (106 and 103), wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed (109) and open­er Ahmed Shehzad (133). It was backed up by brilliant spin bowl­ing by Zulfiqar Babar and debutant Yasir Shah, who claimed seven wickets each.

    Misbah believes the defeats in the Twenty20 International and the one-day series (3-0) had made the team hungry for success leading to the win in the first Test. It was such a clinical display that the cap­tain had no reasons to worry ahead of the second Test.

    “Honestly, there are no concerns after the way we played the last game. Each and every player de­livered and that’s what we want to really do again.

    “We want to show consistency and that’s what we are focusing at, as a team and as players,” he added.

    A victory in Abu Dhabi will also be a personal milestone for Mis­bah, as he will join Imran Khan and Javed Miandad as the captain with most number of Test wins.

    Since he took charge in Novem­ber 2010, Misbah has led Pakistan in 30 Tests with 13 wins, nine def-eats, eight draws. He is one short of Khan and Miandad’s mark who had led Pakistan to 14 victories each.

    Star man
    Younis Khan (Pakistan):
    The veteran batsman has the best knowledge of the UAE pitches as he has been a regular visitor here since 2000. It shows in his run tally of 1,467 runs and averages 50.58 from 18 Tests he has played in the Emirates. He will be the prime target for the Aussies but expect Khan to rise to the occasion. 

    David Warner (Australia): What makes this left-handed opener special is that the nature of the pitch or the quality of bowling do not hinder his attacking strokeplay. He displays it in big measure in Dubai, scoring 133 in the first inings. Warner will be key to Australia again as they look to bounce back in the series. 

    Recommended