LAHORE - Pakistan team head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has backed the recalled players saying they will be given fair chance in order to prepare the best team for next year’s T20 World Cup.
Addressing the press conference here at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, Misbah clarified that on just one bad performance, no player of the team can be excluded. “We want to provide fair chances to every player. The recalled players, including Ahmed Shahzad, Umar Akmal and Faheem Ashraf, have very good domestic and PSL record and if they will be provided fair chances, they will hopefully deliver for national team.
“The purpose of making some changes in the national team is to prepare the best combination for the T20 World Cup in Australia. When changes are made and new players are given chances, such results are obvious and we must be ready for it. We have best players in the T20 squad and hopefully, they will give out their best to help the team register crucial victories,” he added.
Most of the Pakistani batsmen failed to deliver with bat during the first T20. Misbah said: “It was due to dew factor, our batsmen found it tough to face and respond well the Sri Lankan bowlers. They will surely perform well in the remaining two T20s. The decision of batting first was taken keeping in mind the condition of the weather.”
Speaking about captain Sarfraz Ahmed, he said: “There is a pressure on Sarfraz and he must come out of it. The more Sarfraz succeeds in getting out of pressure during the matches, the better performance he will give as a batsman as well as a skipper.”
The head coach said that the eighth ranked Sri Lankan team was being considered as weak team, but they played the opening T20 very well. “Sri Lankan players played brilliantly and showed the world that those perform better on the given day always win matches.”
Misbah also lauded the cricket-crazy nation for coming out in great numbers to witness the first T20. “I hope in the remaining T20s, more cricket fans will visit the venue to witness the action-packed T20s.” he also wishes and requested the Sri Lankan team to come Pakistan again to play Test series here.