3rd Test: Pakistan must show winning intent, says Abdul Qadir

Leg-spin legend says beating hosts should be a walk in the park for visitors

KARACHI: Former leg-spinner Abdul Qadir believes Pakistan need only one thing to beat West Indies in the third and final Test at Roseau in order to create history: positive intent.

Pakistan won the first Test with ease — a seven-wicket triumph — but were clueless in the final innings of the second Test, when some lethal West Indian bowling and a depleted fifth-day wicket caused their downfall as they lost by 106 runs in pursuit of a measly 188-run target.

For Qadir, the defeat had little to do with the hosts' bowling and difficult conditions and more to do with the visitors' mind-set — a construct of those who in his opinion have little knowledge of the sport.

“They just lack winning intent,” said Qadir. “When the board is being run by non-cricketers and all the coaches are foreigners, how do you expect the players to perform for Pakistan? The players now need to understand their responsibility and go for the kill against West Indies in the last match.”

The 67-Test veteran feels Pakistan have themselves to blame for gifting away the momentum by losing the second match to a ‘second-grade’ Windies side.

“It is saddening to see the current West Indies team,” he said. “Everyone is proud of their past, the type of cricket they played, and their role in the development of the game. However, at the moment their team is in a sorry state and the biggest misery is that we lost to such a team.”

Qadir finds it unfathomable how a side as talented as Pakistan managed to lose to a weak opposition such as the Calypsos.

“We have one the best Test sides in the game right now,” he said. “Starting from the top, Azhar [Ali], [Ahmad] Shahzad, Misbahul [Haq], Younus [Khan] and Asad [Shafiq] are all match-winners who can stay on the crease for longer periods. Then we have the world’s best leggie (Yasir Shah) at our disposal and he now has a great partner (Shadab Khan) too. We also have great pacers. Even then we allowed Windies to score runs and then failed to chase the target.”

Despite the mistakes made, Qadir still backs Pakistan to easily flatten the home team in the third Test. “Did you look at the West Indies team in the UAE? They couldn’t even see the ball when Yasir and Imad [Wasim] were bowling. They can’t play spin; they don’t have lethal and mature pacers like [Courtney] Walsh and [Curtley] Ambrose anymore. Pakistan should win it easily.”

Misbah, Younus’ last outing

Qadir is of the opinion that retiring veterans Misbah and Younus shouldn't leave the team at the same time.

“I was really sad when [Kumar] Sangakkara and [Mahela] Jayawardene left the Sri Lankan team together. Look at their team now, they are in such a disarray,” he explained. “Likewise, both of these batsmen leaving together could cause problems for Pakistan’s Test team. However, they have been great servants to the country.”

Qadir also identified the players he feels can fill Misbah and Younus’ shoes. “Azhar, Babar and Shafiq are capable enough of taking over the reins when both veterans leave.”

He continued: “However, if you need to bring someone in then give Umar Akmal an extended run in Tests because he still has the ability if he works hard and focuses on his game. Another choice can be Fawad Alam but everyone knows where he is — nowhere in the picture."