ISLAMABAD - Former captain Rashid Latif has said that after New Zealand series, the real test for Pakistan team will be South Africa series to do well in next year’s World Cup.

Talking to The Nation, Latif said: “Pakistan team has to play a long and tough South Africa series which include 3 Tests, 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is. If they manage to show same character and come out with flying colours, they will stand realistic chances of challenging any opponent in the World Cup next year.”

He said that Mickey Arthur has to work on Asif Ali, who looks a T20 player and needs to change his technique and style of batting to stand chance of cementing his place in 50-over matches. “I think team management has to check Asif Ali in South Africa series, which, for me, is the real test of character for green caps.

Haris Sohail played exceptionally and has a long future for Pakistan cricket. Pakistani team need to change the habit of slowing down from 11th till 40th over. All the other teams score runs from 11th to 40th over and know well how to rotate strike and hit boundaries and sixes.”

He said Pakistan played exceptional cricket in T20 as the team excelled in each and every department. “The bowlers were really good while the batsmen were also never exposed. Overall, it was excellent performance by green caps. The players like Asif and others have a few deliveries to bat and they managed to hit odd boundaries and sixes.

He said the main area of concern in the 50-overs lies in the middle order. “Now the team management has to think how to explore their available options, whether they will go with Hafeez and Imam and Fakhar in the opening, or test someone in the middle order, where Pakistan team is not scoring enough runs and wasting so many precious deliveries.

“Like witnessed in the third ODI against New Zealand, Pakistani batsmen failed to take advantage of having wickets in hand and just scored 280 odd runs, which were not enough to defend. Especially outside UAE or sub continent, the green caps must convert 280s into 300 plus runs, which can help Pakistani do well against any given opponent.”

To a query regarding captaincy of Sarfraz in T20s and ODIs, Latif said: “As far as T20 is concerned, opponent batsmen get out trying to hit our bowlers, but when it comes to 50-over matches, they change their style and try to score runs in the middle of the innings. If we look at our batting, our batsmen look in a hurry and simply gift their wickets cheaply. Sarfraz captained T20 side excellently while in ODIs too, he led the team sensibly and produce better results.”

He said that Fakhar Zaman holds key for Pakistan team. “It is worrying sign that whenever Fakhar score runs, the team is bound to cross 250 plus and in majority of cases, it also wins the matches, but when his innings is folded early, the team fails to post big totals. All the batsmen need to take the responsibility and contribute well in team’s triumph.”

When asked about the shocking retirement of in-form Azhar Ali from ODIs, Latif said: “Yes, it is a strange decision. Like other seniors, I also want Azhar Ali, along with Asad Shafiq, to be part of ODIs, as both have ability of changing the situation of the game in the middle order, where the team keeps on struggling.

“Both the senior batsmen should have been part of the team management plans at least till the World Cup. Time is short and we can’t afford risks, especially when the middle order is fragile, the players of Azhar and Asad calibers can make a huge difference,” he added.

“In 50-over matches, Pakistan team mostly keeps on struggling to play their full quota of overs. I think Azhar has made the decision in haste as he could have played ODIs easily, as 50-over matches are like mini-Test matches and a batman, who can stay at the crease, is required for national team. But Azhar has his own way of thinking and he may be right to announce retirement from shorter version of the game,” Latif concluded.