Pakistan head coach Saqlain Mushtaq has declared that the hosts are ready to play "tough cricket" in the third and final Test to get a result in the decisive match against Australia after the first two matches ended in draws.
Australia is on their first tour to Pakistan since 1998, but both teams are yet to get a result in the ongoing three-match Test series, as the first two Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi ended in draws, drawing huge criticism for the unsporting pitches.
Notably, 8 centuries were scored—6 by Pakistani batters and 2 by Australian batters—while both the teams scored over 2300 runs, with 14 wickets falling in Rawalpindi and 28 in Karachi in the first two Tests. On the heavy criticism, Saqlain admitted that Pakistan team management had made some mistakes in the preparations, but said they were human beings and had learned from their mistakes.
Following the two consecutive drawn Tests against Australia, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) summoned former ICC Academy head curator Toby Lumsden to oversee the preparations for the final Test to be played on March 21 (Monday) at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
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Saqlain said in a media interaction: “I think after our fight back we are very optimistic and we will play hard to get a result and obviously we also want a result and to win this series. We are ready to play tough cricket in the final test.”
He added, “Yes the surface for the second test was on a slower side but it ticked all the boxes for a memorable test match. It fulfilled all requirements to have a good test as it had spin, reverse swing, and uneven bounce. Both teams fought hard and made it a memorable test match.”
On the Rawalpindi pitch, the coach said: “Franky speaking if the weather had not played a part and we not lost those 60-70 overs we would have got a great test match maybe even a result.”
The former Test off-spinner said that Pakistan had created history the way they played over 1000 deliveries to draw the second Test against Australia in Karachi.
He added, “I think we created history the way the second Test ended. Every player showed their character and self-belief in each other. A lot of people said it was impossible for us to save the test. We played more than 1000 deliveries and remember Australia is the no-one Test side and the way they beat England 4-0 recently their confidence was sky-high. I consider myself lucky to be the head coach and feel proud of the way our players fought after the first innings collapse.”
On the axing of the experienced leg-spinner, Yasir Shah, Saqlain said: “The point is that he was with us in the camp before the series and the medical panel felt his fitness was not up to the mark and nor was he prepared for the series. He is a great asset for us and he is in our plans for the future. We have not put him aside when we need him, we will call him up provided he is match ready.”
On being asked if Fawad Alam’s unorthodox batting stance was being exposed by the quality Australian bowlers so far in the home Test series, Saqlain backed the cricketer to return among runs in Lahore.
He signed off by saying, “In my mind, there is no problem at all with Fawad’s stance since he has scored runs against every opposition in the past with the same technique and I am sure he will also get runs against Australia. Unfortunately in the second test, he got an outstanding ball when he came out to bat.”
(With PTI Inputs)
