South Africa Series: Misbah decries Pakistan’s batting again
Pakistan captain wants top order to get its act together ahead of 4th ODI .
None of Pakistan’s batsmen were able to deliver a notable performance in the third ODI against South Africa. PHOTO: AFP
ABU DHABI:
Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq called on his top order to play its part to prevent South Africa clinching the One-Day International (ODI) series after the fourth match today.
Pakistan trail 2-1 after South Africa secured a commanding 68-run win in the third match in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Chasing a challenging 260-run target, Pakistan were dismissed for 191 with leg-spinner Imran Tahir taking four for 53.
Pakistan’s top order flopped again and only a 61-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Wahab Riaz (33) and Sohail Tanvir (31) gave the total some respectability.
Earlier, the batsmen failed to chase 184 during their one-run defeat in the first match in Sharjah and struggled to put 209 on the board in their 66-run victory in the second fixture in Dubai.
“It’s the same old story,” said Misbah after Wednesday’s match. “I think we need to think about our batting if we want to save the series.
“Our batsmen get starts but are not able to convert them into big scores, and we all have to think that 20s and 30s are not going to win matches for us.”
Pakistan have played six one-day series against South Africa but never won one.
Misbah said he could not explain the consistent batting failures.
“I think we got a good start and then there was no excuse, we should have won the match,” he said of the 50-run start by Ahmed Shehzad (32) and Mohammad Hafeez (15).
Pakistan then lost five wickets in the space of 31 runs, slumping to 116 for seven from 86 for two.
“I don’t have an answer and as professionals when we get set we must take it further,” said the skipper.
Captains praise ‘attacking’ Tahir
Misbah praised Tahir, who conceded 18 runs in his first two overs but went on to dismiss the Pakistan captain, Umar Akmal (seven) and Asad Shafiq (11).
“When wickets were falling it was good for him and he kept attacking and he gives them an attacking option,” said Misbah of Tahir, who was born and brought up in Pakistan before emigrating to South Africa.
South Africa captain AB de Villiers was also full of praise for the leg-spinner.
“Imran is a world-class bowler,” said De Villiers. “For me, the main thing is that he brings a lot of intensity to the whole unit and obviously he also has a hell of a lot of skill in all the formats that he plays in.”
He praised the team’s effort, especially the half-centuries from Faf du Plessis and Jean-Paul Duminy.
“I thought we did the basics well,” he added. “We could have got to 280, but still all in all the batsmen did well.”
Today’s game is in Abu Dhabi and the fifth and final match takes place in Sharjah on Monday, before two Twenty20s in Dubai on November 13 and 15.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2013.
Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq called on his top order to play its part to prevent South Africa clinching the One-Day International (ODI) series after the fourth match today.
Pakistan trail 2-1 after South Africa secured a commanding 68-run win in the third match in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Chasing a challenging 260-run target, Pakistan were dismissed for 191 with leg-spinner Imran Tahir taking four for 53.
Pakistan’s top order flopped again and only a 61-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Wahab Riaz (33) and Sohail Tanvir (31) gave the total some respectability.
Earlier, the batsmen failed to chase 184 during their one-run defeat in the first match in Sharjah and struggled to put 209 on the board in their 66-run victory in the second fixture in Dubai.
“It’s the same old story,” said Misbah after Wednesday’s match. “I think we need to think about our batting if we want to save the series.
“Our batsmen get starts but are not able to convert them into big scores, and we all have to think that 20s and 30s are not going to win matches for us.”
Pakistan have played six one-day series against South Africa but never won one.
Misbah said he could not explain the consistent batting failures.
“I think we got a good start and then there was no excuse, we should have won the match,” he said of the 50-run start by Ahmed Shehzad (32) and Mohammad Hafeez (15).
Pakistan then lost five wickets in the space of 31 runs, slumping to 116 for seven from 86 for two.
“I don’t have an answer and as professionals when we get set we must take it further,” said the skipper.
Captains praise ‘attacking’ Tahir
Misbah praised Tahir, who conceded 18 runs in his first two overs but went on to dismiss the Pakistan captain, Umar Akmal (seven) and Asad Shafiq (11).
“When wickets were falling it was good for him and he kept attacking and he gives them an attacking option,” said Misbah of Tahir, who was born and brought up in Pakistan before emigrating to South Africa.
South Africa captain AB de Villiers was also full of praise for the leg-spinner.
“Imran is a world-class bowler,” said De Villiers. “For me, the main thing is that he brings a lot of intensity to the whole unit and obviously he also has a hell of a lot of skill in all the formats that he plays in.”
He praised the team’s effort, especially the half-centuries from Faf du Plessis and Jean-Paul Duminy.
“I thought we did the basics well,” he added. “We could have got to 280, but still all in all the batsmen did well.”
Today’s game is in Abu Dhabi and the fifth and final match takes place in Sharjah on Monday, before two Twenty20s in Dubai on November 13 and 15.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2013.