Moin warns Pakistan against complacency

Former captain believes Zimbabwe cannot be taken lightly in second ODI

KARACHI:

Former Pakistan captain and ex-chief selector Moin Khan warned Pakistan against complacency, saying the team must not get carried away as Zimbabwe have the ability to bounce back in the second ODI at Harare on Saturday.

However, Moin was quick to point out that the future looks bright for Pakistan after the emergence of several promising youngsters.

The men in green have been performing well over the last few ODIs under the captaincy of Azhar Ali after senior members such as Misbahul Haq, Shahid Afridi and Younus Khan made way for the youngsters.

“On the basis of performances in the last two series, things are definitely heading in the right direction for Pakistan with the emergence of young players such as Anwar Ali, Imad Wasim and Mohammad Rizwan,” Moin told The Express Tribune.

But the former wicketkeeper cautioned against expecting too much from the young guns as sterner tests await them. “I would say it is too early to expect big things from them as they are bound to suffer bad days sooner or later, while their biggest test will be against the big teams,” he said. “The team played really well in the first ODI but they must not take Zimbabwe lightly as they are a good side at home.”

Moin also weighed in on the struggles of Pakistan’s top-order, especially opener Ahmed Shehzad, stating that Zimbabwe have never been an easy place for Pakistan’s top order due to the seam movement on offer early on in the innings, with the pitch gripping the ball and making it difficult for the batsmen to play their shots.

However, he backed Shehzad to come back stronger, stressing that he has the ability to play an important knock and that his place should not be questioned after failure in just three innings.

Shoaib Mohammad seconds Moin

Another former cricketer, Shoaib Mohammad, also defended the batsmen by pointing towards the slow nature of the pitches that have made run-making difficult. “Pakistani batsmen are used to the pitches of the UAE, where the ball comes on to the bat nicely but that isn’t the case in Zimbabwe and our batsmen our struggling,” he said. “They will have to wait for the ball and play more with a horizontal bat.”

The 54-year-old praised Zimbabwe Cricket for preparing slow pitches in order to level the playing field but added that the ploy may have backfired in the first ODI as the host batsmen were ripped apart by Yasir Shah.

Like Moin, Shoaib stressed on the need to back the misfiring top-order, saying that there is no need for knee-jerk reactions. “Shehzad and Hafeez must be backed because both have [the capability of playing] big innings in them and can deliver at any stage,” he said. “Even if they don’t, they should be backed because they have proven their worth over the last few years.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2015.

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