PAK v AUS 2018: Sarfraz Ahmed wants Yasir Shah to attack the new-look Australia side in Tests

Ahmed admitted that Nathan Lyon will be a big threat for Pakistan.

Yasir Shah has taken 79 wickets in just 12 matches in the UAE | Getty Images

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has weighed a lot of expectation on his ace leg-spinner, Yasir Shah, saying he will be his main weapon and wants him to attack a depleted and new-look Australia when they will face each other in the two-match Test series, starting from Sunday (October 7) in Dubai.

However, Sarfraz has some words of caution for Yasir that the leg-spinner should not be under the pressure of expectation against Australia, as other bowlers will have to support him in the Test series.

As per reports in AFP, Sarfraz told reporters on Friday (October 5), “When we played Australia in 2014 we played some attacking cricket. Yasir is our main bowler so we will want him to attack and get us wickets to win the series. But similarly we will not put extra pressure on him and will not want him to go in a defensive mode so other bowlers will have to support him.”

Australia will be under pressure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) without their premier batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner, furthermore, their poor record in the Asia conditions, as the Kangaroos have lost 12 of their 15 Tests with only two wins and one draw on tours of Asian countries.

Now again, Australia is set to face a trial by spin in the upcoming Test series and Sarfraz would be certainly like to make the most of his spinners at their friendly pitches in the UAE.

However, the Captain admitted that Nathan Lyon, who took 41 wickets in six matches in India and Bangladesh last year, will be a big threat for the Men in Green in the upcoming Test series.

He signed off by saying, “We attacked him four years ago and at that time we had great batsmen in Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq. Four years on he is a better bowler so he will be their main bowler and a challenge for us.”

(Input: Agence France-Presse)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 06 Oct, 2018

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