4th ODI: Pakistan look for consolation win

Mohsin wants team to raise standards as England target whitewash.

After touching the highs of registering a 3-0 Test series whitewash against the world’s top-ranked team, Pakistan now head into the fourth and final One-Day International (ODI) against England trying desperately hard to avoid a clean sweep.

England have already won the series 3-0 but few could have imagined such a turnaround in fortunes for both the teams at the start of the ODIs.  At the heart of this turnaround has been the contrasting forms that batsmen of both teams have displayed. While England’s top-scorer for the series, captain Alastair Cook, has amassed 319 runs with the help of two tons, Pakistan’s leading batsman, Shahid Afridi, has put together just 97.

‘We need to raise our standards’

Meanwhile, coach Mohsin Khan has admitted that Pakistan will need to raise their standards to stop England from a clean sweep.

“I won’t take credit away from England but we have to look at ourselves and raise our standards in all three departments to avoid defeat,” said Mohsin before adding that his team’s poor fielding has been a major cause of the losses. “We give away 20 to 30 runs in every match, while England save 20 to 30 with their fielding so it comes to a 40-run difference.

With Younus Khan making a recovery from the viral fever that forced him to skip the third ODI, Pakistan will be hoping for an improved show from the batsmen despite doubts over opener Imran Farhat’s inclusion after he suffered a groin injury.

‘England have become used to spin’

Another worry for Pakistan will be the ease with which England have tackled spin.

Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rahman and Mohammad Hafeez, who had been crucial in Pakistan’s success in the Test series, have been less potent in the ODIs. Captain Misbahul Haq felt that England have become used to playing against his spin attack.

“They’ve kept playing the spinners and they’re getting used to them,” said Misbah. “The way they’re getting runs, they’re getting more confident against the spinners.”

Morgan targets clean sweep

Meanwhile, batsman Eoin Morgan admitted England have a good opportunity to blank out Pakistan 4-0.

“There’s certainly an opportunity to do that,” said Morgan. “But it comes back to a case of not getting carried away. We’re fifth in the world and want to be number one by the 2015 World Cup.” (With additional input from AFP)

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2012.