Tour of South Africa: ‘Team lacked aggression, winning spirit’

Former Pakistan coach Mohsin rues missed opportunities in 2nd Test loss to SA.


Our Correspondent February 18, 2013
Pakistan were left to rue missed opportunities as the team folded out in the second innings leaving a paltry target of just 182 for South Africa, which the home side achieved easily. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI:


Former coach Mohsin Khan was left disappointed with Pakistan’s lack of planning and winning spirit as the tourists lost the second Test and series to South Africa in Cape Town yesterday.


Pakistan lost by four wickets, handing an unassailable 2-0 lead to the home side in the three-match series.

“They wasted the chance to win after creating good opportunities,” Mohsin told The Express Tribune. “Asad [Shafiq] and Younus Khan played great knocks in the first innings to stage a comeback, taking the team to a good total of 338 from a poor situation at one stage but that came to no avail.”

“Saeed Ajmal did well to hold South Africa within the Pakistan total. We had a good chance of winning after the first innings was completed.

“But then the team displayed irresponsibility and a lack of game plan both in bowling and batting.”

Mohsin believed had the team batted sensibly in the second innings and set South Africa a target close to 250, it could have registered a win.

“By showing little sensibility, the team could have imposed a target of around 250 which would have been enough. There was some irresponsible batting, for instance, the dismissal of captain [Misbahul Haq] was disappointing.”

“Even the target of 182 was defendable but we showed no plan in bowling as there was nobody to support Ajmal. I wonder why [Mohammad] Hafeez wasn’t utilised as he could have been best a great supporting bowler in the situation.

“This happened because Pakistan did not have a proper game plan. This team is lacking motivation and winning spirit which is why it lost, otherwise there is no doubt about its potential.”

Where was the aggression, questions Inzamam

Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq said Pakistan was lacking aggression in the series.

“This Pakistan team had the ability to beat South Africa but they seemed to be thinking a lot about their rival’s world number one status and that their bowling is very dangerous,” Inzamam told AFP. “Pakistan must show more aggression in its approach.”

“What I saw was that a batsman scores 50 in 150 balls, that gives bowlers more domination. Once a batsman is set he should attack and score freely.”

Pakistan were missing rising paceman Junaid Khan and another former captain, Rashid Latif, who said the batsmen needed to set a bigger total for the bowlers to defend.

“It was a small target and our pace attack had one debutant (Mohammad Irfan), one bowler staging a comeback after 18 months (Tanveer Ahmed) and one on the downslide of his career (Umar Gul),” said Latif.

Latif backed captain Misbah to carry on but urged the Pakistan board to bring in Inzamam and fast bowling legends Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis as coaches. (WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM AFP)

Mohsin Khan

Mohsin Khan

“By showing little sensibility, the team could have imposed a target of around 250 , but they did not have a proper game plan. This team is lacking motivation and winning spirit which is why it lost.”

Inzamamul Haq

Inzamamul Haq

“This Pakistan team had the ability to beat South Africa but it seemed to be thinking a lot about its rival’s world number one status and that their bowling is very dangerous. The team must show more aggression in its approach.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19th, 2013.

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