Category: Sports

Lahore –  The second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was officially launched at a colourful function attended by team captains, owners, coaches and PSL’s top officials at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday.

In front of a packed hall, the new glittering trophy, which will be known as the ‘Spirit Trophy’ made of innovative Crystal Fine Rocks (it uses over 50,000 double pointed crystals from Swarovski) was unveiled by team captains Misbah UL Haq, Brendon McCullum, Darren Sammy, Sarfraz Ahmad and Kumar Sangakkara in the presence of Najam Sethi, Chairman PSL, Rameez Raja, Brand Ambassador of PSL and Andrew Mojica, Managing Director Swarovski Middle East.

At the pinnacle of the trophy is the Shooting Star, a multi-faceted crystal sculpture made with precision-cut technology. Huge applause accompanied the unveiling of the beautiful trophy. The tournament, which will be known as HBL PSL 2017, will commence from February 9, with defending champions Islamabad United taking on Peshawar Zalmi in the opening match at the Dubai International stadium from 8pm.

“The PSL will be special this year with a new trophy and also the tournament will be coming to Pakistan with the final to be played there. There will also be three new trophies — one for best batsman named after Hanif Mohammad, best bowler in the name of Fazal Mahmood and best wicketkeeper named after Imtiaz Ahmad,” said Sethi. The man-of-the-match trophy was unveiled by former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malek.

Eloquent Rameez Raja, former Pakistan captain and a leading commentator, said: “Anything associated with the PSL is five-star — the trophy, players, owners, coaches and managers. I feel privileged to be part of such a dynamic process. It took a lot of hard work to put in the first edition. Many even had doubts whether it will take off and finally it was conducted with flying colours, it should be noted that Karachi-Lahore match in the first edition had more eyeballs than the World Cup quarter-final match between India and Pakistan. So you can imagine the reach and love for the event.

I am sure it will grow in stature. I am looking forward to PSL 2 as there are newer players, lot of preparations have gone behind the scenes and the best thing about this year’s PSL is the final which will take place in Pakistan. It will give our fans who have been starved of seeing the superstars a great opportunity. I don’t know whether Lahore’s Gadaffi Stadium will be able to handle the pressure of a PSL final, I am hoping everybody will come in and we have a great spectacle. This tournament will take Pakistan to new horizons. It will be priceless for the young future champions of Pakistan. I hope it will be another great season in the UAE,” he added.

When the captains were asked to comment on who they would like to win the glittering trophy, Islamabad United Misbah said: “We want to win it at all costs and thereby defend our title.” Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfraz Ahmad said: “We are more determined to take this trophy.”

Pointing to the trophy, Peshawar Zalmi captain Darren Sammy said: “This trophy belongs to Zalmis this year.” Karachi Kings captain Kumar Sangakkara remarked: “It is a challenge. We have been working hard eating biryani. We will win it this time.” And Brendon McCullum of Lahore Qalandars simply said: “That trophy belongs to us in Lahore.”

LAHORE –   A press conference was held in Lahore today to mark the partnership between Homage and PSL, which was attended by Homage’s higher management, PSL officials and renowned media personnel. Homage, a leading brand in Home and Power Appliances category has partnered with HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) as the Gold sponsor for the event. HBL PSL is one of the most awaited and exciting cricket tournaments of this region and is set to start from February 9, 2017.

Sharing his thoughts on the association Mr. Najam Sethi, Chairman Executive Committee, PCB and Chairman PSL thanked Homage to their support to Pakistan’s cricket and Pakistan Super League, which has now become a brand of Pakistani people across the globe. “There is a collective effort by the people to make the league a success, and we are working hard to make it bigger and better this time. I promise you the opening ceremony of the PSL will be more interesting and colorful compared to its first edition. The sponsors are coming to support Pakistan Super League and we are hopeful the league will produce young talented players which will make their way to the international team. The successful holding of the final of the Pakistan Super League on March 5, 2017 in Lahore will open a new window to bring back international cricket to Pakistan and strengthen the resolve of Pakistan Cricket Board that Pakistan is a safe country for international cricket.”

Mr. Rafiq Parsa, CEO at R&I Electrical Appliances said

“Homage is privileged to have partnered with Pakistan’s leading T20 league. Homage supports the promotion of new talent through this exciting sport series which gives the opportunity to the emerging players to showcase their performance at international level and gain expertise and exposure. We at Homage believe that this podium is a breeding ground for future cricket stars of the country. Our aim is to contribute to the restoration of Pakistan cricket to its further repute. “

Mr. Rafiq Parsa further added that an association with HBL PSL is a pivotal step towards bringing the game back in Pakistan and Homage promises its fans to extend all possible support in promoting sports in the country. As a National brand, Homage wishes all the teams and players the best of luck and hope that this edition of the league will be phenomenal. Building on Homage’s mission of promoting national talent at international level, Homage has sponsored cricket events in the previous years as well and this year we were honored with the opportunity to support a prestigious event as PSL. This partnership is one of the series of events to follow and Homage will endeavor to support all such future events.

WEB DESK – AUCKLAND – New Zealand scraped home in the first one-dayer against Australia Monday, but only after rookie all-rounder Marcus Stoinis’ fell agonisingly short of dragging his team to victory with an unbeaten 146.

In just his second ODI, Stoinis took three wickets then flayed the New Zealand attack as the Australians chased a target of 287 runs at Auckland’s Eden Park. He came to the crease with Australia reeling at 54 for five and calmly set about rebuilding after his more experienced teammates had squandered their wickets. His 146 was a record ODI score for an Australian number seven batsman and included 11 sixes and nine fours.

Remarkably, the 27-year-old’s last partnership with Josh Hazlewood was worth 54, but Hazlewood did not face a single ball as Stoinis stayed on strike trying to guide Australia home. His heroics prevented a trouncing in the opening match of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy, sparing Australia’s blushes after they rested their star batsmen for the series.

The tourists left David Warner and Usman Khawaja out of the squad to protect them for the upcoming Test series in India, then lost captain Steve Smith and wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade to injury.

But the players expected to offer leadership in their absence failed to step up and the Australians crumbled before Stoinis arrived.

Their woes were largely caused by rash or careless shots, not demons in a pitch on which the New Zealanders had batted solidly. Relative newcomers such as Travis Head (5) and Peter Hanscomb (4) could be forgiven for a rush of blood to the head at the sight of the short Eden Park boundaries. However, stand-in captain Aaron Finch (4), Shaun Marsh (16) and Glenn Maxwell (20) — all with 50-plus ODIs — are likely to face tough questions over the performance.

Boult dismissed Head and Finch in the fourth over, with the acting skipper falling to an acrobatic Jimmy Neesham catch trying to pull past square leg.  Marsh went after a lazy dab at Mitchell Santner’s spin and Maxwell tried to collar rookie speedster Lockie Ferguson, only to nick the ball to the wicketkeeper.

Stoinis grafted an 81-run seventh wicket partnership with James Faulkner (25), then added another 52 to Australia’s total with Pat Cummins. He smashed three sixes off one Jimmy Neesham over, then blasted another off Boult to bring up his century off 96 balls. Australia looked on the verge of an unlikely victory, needing just seven runs off three overs, before a mix-up saw Hazlewood run out and Stoinis stranded at the crease.

Earlier, he took three wickets, including the prized scalps of opener Martin Guptill and skipper Kane Williamson. Finch, missing his star scorers, elected to bowl after winning the toss. It paid early dividends as New Zealand struggled, with nerves appearing to get the better of some Black Caps as they sought to avenge a 3-0 whitewash to Australia last December.

But veteran Neil Groom’s 73, combined with 61 from Guptill and 48 from Neesham, proved enough for a narrow win. The second ODI will be in Napier on Thursday, with the third in Hamilton on Sunday.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND:
M Guptill b Stoinis 61
T Latham c Handscomb b Starc 7
K Williamson c Maxwell b Stoinis 24
R Taylor b Head 16
N Broom c Starc b Faulkner 73
C Munro c Finch b Stoinis 2
J Neesham c Head b Hazlewood 48
M Santner c Maxwell b Cummins 7
T Southee c Faulkner b Cummins 0
L Ferguson not out 3
T Boult not out 16
EXTRAS: (b8, lb5, w16) 29
TOTAL: (9 wckts; 50 overs) 286
FOW: 1-13, 2-87, 3-128, 4-130, 5-134, 6-210, 7-246, 8-251, 9-269.
BOWLING: Starc 10-0-59-1, Hazlewood 10-0-48-1, Cummins 9-0-67-2, Faulkner 6-0-29-1, Stoinis 10-0-49-3, Head 5-0-21-1.
AUSTRALIA:
A Finch c Neesham b Boult 4
T Head c Munro b Boult 5
S Marsh st Latham b Santner 16
P Handscomb c Latham b Southee 7
G Maxwell c Latham b Ferguson 20
S Heazlett c Latham b Ferguson 4
M Stoinis not out 146
J Faulkner b Munro 25
P Cummins st Latham b Santner 36
M Starc c Neesham b Santner 3
J Hazlewood run out 0
EXTRAS: (lb2, w12) 14
TOTAL: (all out; 47 overs) 280
FOW: 1-9, 2-10, 3-18, 4-48, 5-54, 6-67, 7-148, 8-196, 9-226, 10-280.
BOWLING: Southee 10-0-63-1, Boult 9-0-58-2, Ferguson 10-0-44-2, Santner 10-1-44-3, Neesham 5-0-49-0, Munro 3-0-20-1.
TOSS: Australia
UMPIRE: Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI), Wayne Knights (NZL)
THIRD UMPIRE: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
MATCH REFEREE: Rajan Madugalle (SRI)

WEB DESK – ADELAIDE – Australia cruised to a 57-run victory over Pakistan in the fifth and final one-day international at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

After setting an imposing total of 369-7, thanks to a record opening partnership of 284 between David Warner and Travis Head, the Australians bowled Pakistan out for 312. Pakistan’s Babar Azam scored 100 and Sharjeel Khan a quickfire 79, but the home side were always in control and celebrated Australia Day in style with a convincing win.

Warner and Head earlier got Australia away to a superb start, with Warner particularly damaging as he smashed the Pakistan attack to all parts of the ground. Warner blasted 179 and Head 128 on their way to an opening stand of 284, a new Australian record for any wicket in ODIs. Both batsmen made their highest scores in one-day internationals, with Head also recording his maiden international century.

After losing the toss and being asked to bowl first, the Pakistanis almost got the perfect start when Mohammad Amir enticed an edge from Warner with his first ball. But a diving Azhar Ali at first slip couldn’t hold onto a difficult chance and Warner was soon in full flight. He brought up his 50 from 34 balls and his 100 from 78 including 11 fours and two massive sixes. His 150 came from only 107 deliveries with 17 boundaries and three sixes.

Head was far more circumspect but once the ball stopped swinging after just four overs, he began to look more and more comfortable. On a flat pitch that offered nothing to the bowlers, the Australians were untroubled until Warner began to cramp, restricting his movements. Warner eventually fell when he swatted a short ball from Junaid Khan to Babar at point with the score on 284. Australia were headed for a score well over 400 when Warner and Head were in full flight but Pakistan fought back with some late wickets to restrict them to 369.

Pakistan’s chase started badly when Azhar fell leg before to Mitchell Starc for 10, but Sharjeel and Babar took up the attack and moved the score to 140 before the big hitting Sharjeel mistimed a pull shot and skied a catch to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade. Babar began to pick up the pace and reached 100 from 107 balls, however, soon after bringing up his fourth ODI century he holed out to Head at mid-on. Shoaib Malik retired hurt when he was hit on the arm by a Pat Cummins short ball and despite a defiant 46 from Umar Akmal which took the visitors past 300 runs, Pakistan ultimately fell short.

 

Web Desk – Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur blasted his players after their blunders helped Australia secure their one-day series at Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday, taking a 3-1 lead in the five match series.
Set an imposing 354 to win, Pakistan were never really in the hunt.
After Australia made 353 for six on the back of a David Warner century that was aided by appalling fielding from the tourists, Pakistan replied with 267 from 43.5 overs.
A frustrated Arthur was left lamenting another sloppy fielding effort marked by a number of dropped catches.
“We can’t compete with a side like Australia if we give their top five that many chances,” he said. “It’s unacceptable, those standards we set as a cricket team those standards haven’t been met. Is it skill level, attitude, or is it fatigue?”
Opener Sharjeel Khan, who dropped two catches in the Australian innings, whacked out 74 from just 47 balls, but once he fell to recalled leg-spinner Adam Zampa Pakistan’s fate was all but sealed.
Warner backed his form with the bat by doing what the Pakistanis couldn’t and hanging on to two excellent catches.
He was pleased to have the series wrapped up ahead of the final game in Adelaide on Thursday, saying the team “played fantastic”.
After Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss, the home side took advantage of a placid wicket and the hapless Pakistan fielding.
Warner top-scored with 130 but Pakistan did not help themselves, conceding a number of overthrows and dropped catches at crucial times.
He was dropped on 113 when Hasan Ali grassed a simple chance at mid-off from spinner Imad Wasim.
Smith scored 49 off 48 balls, but was let off at 10 when Sharjeel made a lazy one-handed attempt at gully from Junaid Khan’s bowling.
Sharjeel also dropped Travis Head when he was on 28, again to the chagrin of the luckless Junaid. Head went on to make 51.
And Hasan put down a difficult chance off Glenn Maxwell when he was on eight and the Australian ended on 78.
Despite his two dropped catches Hasan redeemed himself by taking five for 52, easily the best of the Pakistan bowlers.
Warner and Smith put on 120 for the second wicket to put Australia in a commanding position before Hasan removed both in the space of three balls to give the tourists a lift.
However, Head and Maxwell then cut loose to add 100 for the fourth wicket in 64 balls.
Pakistan recalled captain Azhar Ali after a hamstring injury at the expense of Asad Shafiq, while Australia recalled Mitchell Starc and spinner Zampa for James Faulkner and Billy Stanlake.
Zampa, controversially overlooked for the upcoming India tour, took his opportunity with 3-55 from his 10 overs.—AFP

WEB DESK – PERTH  – Pakistan was left lamenting missed chances after Australia capitalised on their errors to win the one-day international in Perth on Thursday by seven wickets, with skipper Steven Smith scoring a century.

Pakistan made 263 for seven after being sent to bat, having looked set to post a much bigger score at several stages. But the home side replied with 265 for three, winning with 30 balls to spare. After paceman Josh Hazlewood applied the brakes to a promising Pakistan innings with three wickets, skipper Smith and ODI debutant Peter Handscomb put on 183 for the third wicket in the chase to set their team on the path to victory.

It could have been much different for Pakistan, as they squandered two golden opportunities to remove Handscomb early in his innings. He was caught from a no-ball before he scored, and was then dropped on 10. Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur could only rue the mistakes that helped Australia take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. “Our only chance of really exerting pressure was to take early wickets, and we nearly had that right,” Arthur said. “And where we’re at as a team, we just can’t afford those little lapses, so very disappointing.”

When they claimed openers David Warner (35) and Usman Khawaja (nine) in five balls Pakistan had Australia wobbling at 45 for two. One run later Handscomb was on his way back to the pavilion for a duck on debut, caught at first slip from the bowling of Junaid Khan. Australia should have been 46 for three, but Handscomb was recalled to the centre due to a front foot no-ball. To make matters worse, Handscomb had another life on 10 when a simple catch was dropped at point, with Junaid again the aggrieved bowler. It proved to be Pakistan’s undoing.

Handscomb eventually fell for 82 from 84 balls, but the game was safely in Australia’s hands by then and the Australia batsman admitted he had a lucky day. “I think I’m going to buy a lottery ticket tonight,” Handscomb said.

“As I was walking off, I started to hear the crowd going nuts, and couldn’t quite work out what was going on. So I looked up on the big screen and saw the no-ball.”

Smith brought up his eighth ODI century by pulling the 97th ball he faced to the mid-wicket boundary and finished unbeaten on 108. Earlier in the day, Hazlewood reined the visitors in after they made a flying start, picking up 3-32 from his 10 overs.

He claimed the vital wickets of Babar Azam, who top-scored with 84 from 100 balls, Umar Akmal (39) and opener Mohammad Hafeez (4). Babar played beautifully and appeared set to add another century to his blossoming career, before he was brilliantly caught by Handscomb. In his 21st innings, the Pakistani number three equalled the record held by four other players for being quickest to 1,000 runs before falling to Hazlewood.

He attempted a pull shot and Handscomb took a great diving catch in the outfield, with the third umpire confirming the Australian got his hands under the ball. Babar did have some luck and was twice dropped by bowlers on their follow-through. He was dropped low down by James Faulkner on 31 and then Patrick Cummins grassed a tough chance when he was 74. Umar should have been stumped on one to give part-time spinner Travis Head (2-65) a third wicket, but wicketkeeper Matthew Wade botched an easy dismissal.

WEB DESK – MELBOURNE – Pakistan beat Australia by six wickets in the second one-day international at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, their first ODI win on Australian soil for 12 years.

The win was also Pakistan’s first ODI victory at the MCG since 1985 and levels the five-match series at 1-1. Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first on a flat-looking wicket, but Pakistan’s opening pair Mohammad Amir (3-47) and Junaid Khan (2-40) bowled superbly to help restrict the home side to 220 all out.

They were backed up by left arm spinner Imad Wasim (2-37), whose 10-over spell in the middle of the innings tied the batsmen down and slowed the scoring. The modest total never looked enough once Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez (72) and fellow opener Sharjeel Khan (29) had put on 68 for the first wicket.

Babar Azam chipped in with 34 before Shoaib Malik (42 not out) and Umar Akmal (18 not out) guided the visitors home with 2.2 overs to spare. “I think the bowlers did a great job for us,” said Hafeez, who was also named man of the match. “We wanted to get a total on the board that we were comfortable with because the ball wasn’t coming onto the bat. The bowlers took wickets at the right time and kept the pressure on.”

Australia went into the match without a recognised spinner and were made to pay the price on a two-paced wicket that favoured the slower bowlers. Their seam attack did its best to restrict the Pakistan batting, with Josh Hazelwood (0-32) the most impressive despite not taking a wicket, and James Faulkner (2-35) effective with his changes of pace.

But the other bowlers were ineffective and expensive, with off-spinner Travis Head going for 23 runs off his 2.4 overs. Amir and Junaid Khan set the tone early with their impressive opening spells. Junaid, brought into the team in place of Wahab Riaz, induced an edge from the dangerous David Warner (16) to leave the Australians on 31-1. Junaid soon added the scalp of Usman Khawaja when he edged to first slip Sharjeel Khan, who took a fine catch low to his left.

Australia promoted all-rounder Mitchell Marsh up the order but the experiment failed as he scooped the first ball he faced from Amir to Imad at cover to leave the home side 41 for three. Head then joined Smith in the middle and hit five boundaries on his way to 29 before he edged Hasan Ali to Mohammad Rizwan with Australia on 86 for four.

Smith (60) brought up a hard-fought 50 from 91 balls with only two boundaries and no sixes, but with eight overs to go he got an inside edge onto his pads and then stumps to give Imad his second wicket. There was a steady procession of wickets until Faulkner skied a ball to point off Amir to leave Pakistan needing only 221 to level the series.

Smith said the Australians had paid the price for attacking too early and losing key wickets before the spinners came on to bowl. “We were probably about 40 runs too short — the bowlers did a pretty good job of trying to contain them, but we just weren’t good enough,” he said.

Web Desk- SYDNEY – Australia clinched a series clean sweep with an emphatic 220-run win over Pakistan in the third Test in Sydney on Saturday. The tourists were all out shortly before tea on the final day for 244 chasing 465 runs with paceman Josh Hazlewood and spinner Steve O’Keefe both snaring three wickets.

Pakistan’s hopes of holding out for a draw evaporated with the dismissals of leading series runscorer Azhar Ali and veteran Younus Khan before lunch. Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed topscored with a fighting unbeaten 72 off 70 balls.

Australia completed a series clean sweep after a 39-run win in the first Gabba Test and an innings and 18-run victory in Melbourne last week. It was Pakistan’s 12th straight defeat since their last Test win in Australia in Sydney 22 years ago. Dynamic opening batsman David Warner was named man of the match for his scintillating hundred before lunch on the opening day, while skipper Steve Smith was announced as the official player of the series.

The highest target successfully chased down in the fourth innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground was Australia’s 288 for two against South Africa in 2006. The tourists lost four wickets in Saturday’s first session after resuming at 55 for one.

Azhar Ali lasted just six balls into the final day before he was out in a soft dismissal on his overnight score of 11. He tried to work Josh Hazlewood to the leg-side only to bunt the ball back to the bowler for an easy return catch.

Azhar finished as the highest Pakistan runscorer in a series in Australia with 406 at 81.20. Babar Azam followed in Hazlewood’s next over, trapped leg before wicket for nine to end a disappointing series with a total of just 68 runs from six innings.

Younus Khan missed out on becoming the first Pakistan batsman to reach 10,000 Test runs when he was caught in the deep off spinner Nathan Lyon for 13.

Younus, who scored an unbeaten 175 for his 34th Test hundred in the first innings, did not get enough on a Lyon delivery and lobbed to Hazlewood at mid-on.  It was a significant wicket for Australia following on from the first-over dismissal of Azhar to have Pakistan plunging towards defeat. Nightwatchman Yasir Shah’s 93-ball defiance ended a half-hour before lunch when he was snapped up the slips by fielding substitute Jackson Bird off left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe for 13.

Asad Shafiq went soon after lunch bowled by Mitchell Starc off a thick inside edge for 30. Misbah resisted for 98 balls before he went after O’Keefe and skied to the safe hands of Lyon at mid-off for 38 — his highest score of a struggling series.

Misbah, at 42 and playing his probable last innings in Australia, was given a generous ovation as he left the SCG. Wahab Riaz cracked three fours off nine balls before he lost a review for caught behind off O’Keefe for 12, and O’Keefe ran out Mohammad Amir for five to put Australia on the brink of victory.

Hazlewood claimed the last wicket and his third of the innings when he had Imran Khan caught in the slips for a duck. Australia tour India next month for a four-Test series, while Pakistan do not have any Tests scheduled until April, when they will tour the West Indies for a four-match series.

 

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS: 538-8 decl
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS: 315
AUSTRALIA 2ND INNINGS: 241-2 DECL
PAKISTAN 2ND INNINGS:
(OVERNIGHT: 55-1):
Azhar Ali c and b Hazlewood 11
Sharjeel Khan c Warner b Lyon 40
Yasir Shah c Bird b O’Keefe 13
Babar Azam lbw b Hazlewood 9
Younus Khan c Hazlewood b Lyon 13
Misbahul-Haq c Lyon b O’Keefe 38
Asad Shafiq b Starc 30
Sarfraz Ahmed not out 72
Wahab Riaz c Wade b O’Keefe 12
M Aamir run out 5
Imran Khan c Bird b Hazlewood 0
EXTRAS: (nb1) 1
TOTAL: (all out, 80.2 overs) 244
FOW: 1-51, 2-55, 3-67, 4-82, 5-96, 6-136, 7-188, 8-202, 9-224, 10-244
BOWLING: Starc 17-2-57-1 (1nb), Hazlewood 18.2-7-29-3, Lyon 27-6-100-2, O’Keefe 17-4-53-3, Smith 1-0-5-0
MAN OF THE MATCH: David Warner (AUS)
MAN OF THE SERIES: Steve Smith (AUS)
TOSS: Australia
UMPIRES: Sundaram Ravi (IND) and Richard Illingworth (ENG)
THIRD UMPIRE: Ian Gould (ENG)
MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)

WEB DESK-Melbourne- Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq Friday admitted that after putting a reasonable score on the board in their first innings of the second Test, Pakistan players failed to build any pressure on Australia and conceded defeat.
Australia defeated Pakistan from an innings and 18 runs in the second Test at MCG on Friday. The hosts, who had earlier declared their innings at 624 in reply to Pakistan’s 443 needed 10 wickets in little more than two sessions. Pakistan batting lineup collapsed as they were capitulated for 163 in 53.2 overs to allow Australian snatch the win.
“After getting 443 in the first innings we could not bowl to any discipline and could not build any pressure,” he said in his comments in the post-match ceremony.
Misbah said Pakistan team lost all the momentum but in contrast Australian batsmen performed well to win the match. “Full credit to the Australian batsmen. It’s a funny game, especially when you are under pressure. When you know there can only be a draw or a defeat, then that can create a lot of problems.
“We thought it might be easy if we could get a couple of wickets early. Anything over 100, you never know on the final day. We knew anything could happen,” he added. He however noted that Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz Nawaz did well in the match.” Azhar has been outstanding. The ball was doing a lot in the first innings. Seaming and swinging, loads of concentration.
In the second innings, under pressure Asad Shafiq and Sarfraz also played really well. In the end you have to win sessions. You have to play well over both innings. That’s what we haven’t been able to manage. You have to forget such kind of performances and stand-up as a team,” he said.—APP