Misbah-ul-Haq believes Yasir Shah’s return for the second Test will give Pakistan an advantage in a trial by spin against England.
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Misbah is predicting a “result-oriented” pitch at the Dubai International Stadium for the middle match of three in a series level at 0-0 after last week’s draw in Abu Dhabi.
There, it was England’s spinners who eventually fared best in a slowburning contest which came to life only on the final day. But in Dubai Misbah anticipates more help from the outset for the slow bowlers – and sees fit-again leg-spinner Yasir as a potential match-winner.
Yasir is likely to replace seamer Rahat Ali to bowl alongside slow left-armer Zulfiqur Babar, with Bilal Asif perhaps in the reckoning to make his debut as a second off-spinner, in addition to Shoaib Malik.
Bilal’s suspect action is being investigated and he underwent tests in Chennai this week. The results are not expected to be published until after the end of the Test and Pakistan are prepared to pick him in the meantime.
Yasir though is the obvious threat, available again after the back spasm which ruled him out of the first Test – and out to add to his startling record of 61 wickets in just 10 matches so far.
It is 12 months to the day since he made an eye-catching debut, at the same venue, against Australia – and Misbah said: “Looking at the last year, he has been superb.
“He is the star bowler for us. No matter who we are playing against, an Asian side or not, he has really bowled well and taken wickets at the right time and just created a lot of pressure.
“Obviously, he is a big impact player and we are really confident about him coming back into the side.”
The Pakistan captain is confident too that conditions will be to Yasir’s liking.
“I think it is a typical Dubai pitch, and should suit us,” he said. “This venue is better suited for spinners (than Abu Dhabi) and result-oriented.
“The team which plays spin well and have better spinners have a good chance.”
View from the middle at the Dubai International Cricket stadium 24 hours before the 2nd Test #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/0GN7JmS8oR
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Pakistan got in a tangle against England’s spinners in the second innings of the first Test, and were in danger of losing when bad light ended the match.
Misbah said: “We should not repeat the mistakes we committed in the first game. We have to respect their bowlers, after the way Adil (Rashid) and Moeen (Ali) bowled on the last day.
“We have to be very cautious and play better. We have posted good totals and saved the matches on the last day many times. It was just one odd day, and I think we have to forget it but … be really professional in the next game.”
He knows already, one match in, that England are set to put up more of a fight than they did on their only previous campaign here – when they lost 3-0 under Andrew Strauss in early 2012.
Misbah added: “This is very important Test for us. We have to improve our performance. They are a professional team and are very determined.
“They have learned from their mistakes in the past and are a totally different team … so we have to lift our performance if we want to win.”
Pakistan will again be without key batsman Azhar Ali. He missed the first Test with an infected foot and is not be available for the second, having returned home following the death of his mother-in-law.
