Abu Dhabi - Pakistan are ready to seize the golden opportunity to seal Australia Test series at a ground where they are still unbeatable.
Buoyed by their first Test in, Pakistan are determined to hold on to their series lead in two-match series, when they meet Australia in second Test today (Thursday) at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium. It would be first series in for Pakistan against Australia in 20-years as well as first in too since 2012, when they beat the then top Test team England 3-0 and a 2-0 victory ill make England’s fans all smiles too as well as providing much delight to Pakistan fans.
But another delight also awaits Pakistan would be the ranking boost. Pakistan have a chance of shooting up the ICC Test rankings if they seal a series win against Australia.If they beat them 2-0, Pakistan will leapfrog England, Sri Lanka and India into third place in the ICC Test rankings, and a 1-0 win will take them to fourth.
Pakistan have played five Test matches so far in Abu Dhabi while registering two victories, one each against South Africa and England, and drawing other three. So they have a bright chance to end the series on a winning note either by clinging to their 1-0 lead or making it 2-0. But it’s not an easy task to achieve against cricket’s top side in the world who are already hurt with a heavy defeat and are itching to settle the score for their namesake.
And you can’t expect anything conclusive from this team that is called Pakistan. Yet it was only a fortnight ago that Pakistan lost two wickets for no runs at all in the final over of an ODI when they only needed two to win. And they won Dubai Test with a bowling attack who had all of nine caps between them, two rookie spinners, one of them 35 years old, the other a leggie playing his very first game. Their batting lineup was propped up a wicketkeeper, Sarfraz Ahmed, who rattled along lickety-split at a run-a-ball, and the 36-year-old Younus Khan, who had just been dropped from the ODI side and as not too eager to play Test series.
That’s the reason captain Misbahul Haq, coach Waqar Younis and team manager and chief selector Moin Khan have been echoing the same thought for the players to stay focused and don’t be complacent since Pakistan have won the first match.
Misbah was worried about the complacency of his players and urged his teammates to stay focused and determined to finish the job and seal the series against Australia. "It is really important to consolidate now. We haven't won a series against Australia in so long. That's a big incentive for us, all the guys are determined to do well against them and we need to play disciplined cricket. We will try to do this again and try to focus more and are determined not to be lazy against a team like Australia who always look for an opportunity.”
Coach Waqar has been emphasising on staying focused and this is the best advice he has given to his players at this stage. Waqar said that they have won the first Test but it's a long way to go, the second Test would be tough. He said that Australia would bounce back, and Pakistan has to be prepared for that. He said that to come into the top three is a big thing, but added that besides coming into the top three, consistency is more important for him because Pakistan has always been unpredictable, sometimes up and then down, so they need to give consistent performances.
The coach said that the message is simple: don't give up, the series is not finished, adding that there is a second Test and Pakistan has to win the second Test and have to work hard consistently every day to win the series. Moin also reckons that Australia are a dangerous side and have all the potential to bounce back and if Pakistan are to win that will not come easy and players will have to play really hard and well to earn it. Pakistan will maintain that spin pressure with Zulfiqar and Yasir ready with their bags of tricks to bamboozle Aussies on slow track which is supposed to help spinners from third day. Abu Dhabi is also the venue where Zulfiqar made his Test debut against South Africa and took five wickets in the match, including the prized wicket of Hashim Amla in second innings, to help Pakistan registered seven wickets win over South Africa.
Misbah is the leading run-scorer for Pakistan with 540 runs in five Tests at an average of 90. Taufeeq Umar is second to Misbah with 334 runs at 55.66 and is likely to replace Muhammad Hafeez as opener who has both fitness and form issues at the moment. The fielding will be another area of worry for Pakistan as they dropped atleast seven catches in their victory in first Test and may be this time a more determined Australian batting would cherish more any opportunity they receive.
Australian captain Michael Clarke has also promised a fight back. "Any time we lose a game it breeds fire in your belly. We don't like losing, Australians in general don't like losing," he said. Clarke was confident runs would come in the second Test. "I do have that confidence. We do have to find a way though," said the Australian skipper.
Australia have the option of bringing in Glenn Maxwell, who can also bowl off-spin, and the place of Alex Doolan looks unsecure as Steve Smith is brimming with confidence to fill the slot. Smith says he'll welcome the challenge of batting at No3 if captain pulls the trigger. Batting at No.5, Smith has looked at home on the United Arab Emirates pitches.
The 25-year-old New South Welshman scored 22 and 55 in the first-Test defeat in Dubai, while first drop batsman Doolan failed twice. Smith's innings of 101, 12 and 77 at No.3 in the one-day series earlier this month showcased his ability to handle the daunting double of Pakistan's slow bowlers and the UAE's spin-friendly pitches.
SQUADS:
PAKISTAN: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Ahmed Shehzad, M Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Shan Masood, Younus Khan, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Haris Sohail, M Talha, Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sarfraz Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar, Yasir Shah.
AUSTRALIA: Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Chris Rogers, Alex Doolan, Steven Smith, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Brad Haddin, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Mitchell Johnson, Steve O'Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, James Faulkner, Nathan Lyon.