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Monday, 30 January, 2012
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Pakistan can be world’s number one, says Mohsin ABu DhABI
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AKISTAN cricket coach mohsin Khan Sunday expressed confidence his team can become the world's number one ranked team after humbling england in the second Test to claim victory in the series. "I think this team has the capacity to become the world's best team. Our target should be to gradually come in the top three in both Tests and one-day, and then gradually go to world number one," Khan told AFP. Khan's comments came a day after Pakistan crushed england by 72 runs in the second Test on the back of excellent performances from spinners Abdul rehman (6-25) and Saeed Ajmal (3-22), re-
stricting the rivals to a low total of 72. Pakistan now enjoy an unassailable 2-0 lead over england, the current world number one Test team, ahead of the third and final Test in Dubai starting February 3. They won the first Test by ten wickets, also in Dubai. Khan, however, warned that Pakistan need to perform well outside the subcontinent to rise from their current place of fifth in the rankings. "God willing, it can done gradually and hopefully we will touch the top but for that we have to perform well in other parts of the world (england, Australia and South Africa), so that means we have to prove a lot," said 56-year-old Khan, a former opener. But Khan -- appointed as interim coach after Waqar Younis quit the post in September last year -- may not be there as coach as he is likely to be replaced by former Australian
batsman Dav Whatmore next month. "What mohsin Khan is today is because of Pakistan and Pakistan cricket. my services are always there for my country but I don't want anybody to take me for granted," added Khan, refusing to comment on his future. Khan said he was not surprisd by england's capitulation against spin in both the Tests. "I think our spinners bowled very well. When we go to england our batsmen struggle against swing and here they struggle against spin, but credit to our spinners as they exploited weaknesses and it needs skill to exploit rivals' weakness," said Khan. Khan praised captain misbah-ul Haq. "misbah is a very good captain and I have a good rapport with him. He gives me respect as coach and as his senior and I give him respect as captain so it's a mutual thing. "We
make gameplan and he respects my experience and as coach it is my duty to support him," said Khan of misbah who took over in October 2010. Since then Pakistan have won eight times in 14 Tests, losing only once. Pakistan have also won three series in a row under Khan. Khan believes his current team ooze talent. "When I came as coach I knew that this team had talent in abundance so my first priority was to make them mentally and physically strong and that was on display when Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq batted and carried us to that target," said Khan. Ali (68) and Shafiq (43) shared a 88-run stand for the fifth wicket in Pakistan's second knock after they were reeling at 54-4. "We won a lost match on Saturday, but the kind of belief and self confidence this team has
Pakistan celebrates England triumph
shown is great," said Khan. "I am proud of my team and the moment when we won and then players lifted me and celebrated the win, that was a joy to behold and any praise is less for that team spirit and the unity in joy. "That was the biggest gift I can have from my players. Our actions are louder than words and I hope that this good work goes o n a n d on."
Pakistan demand respect from world
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AKISTAn Sunday celebrated its extraordinary cricket series triumph over world number one Test side england, with former greats hoping the team build on their astonishing turnaround from virtual pariahs. Iqbal Qasim, a great left-arm spin bowler in his playing days, said the victory would lift Pakistani cricket. "Pakistan will gain tremendous confidence after this win over the world number one team," said Qasim. "Pakistan outclassed england during the two Tests and now I think all those teams who were not ready to play us will want to compete." Fellow former spinner Abdul Qadir said Misbah's men had delighted the whole country with their performance. "The team has lifted the nation by beating the world number one team," said Qadir, who wrecked england for their previous lowest total of 130 in Lahore in 1987. Pakistan had also bowled england for 130 at the Oval in 1954. "I will give credit to Misbah for the way he is leading the team, and to all the players and the management," said Qadir, hoping Pakistan also win the third Test in Dubai for a clean sweep. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf was full of praise for Misbah and the team. "Credit to Misbah for this fabulous win," said Ashraf. "Misbah never looked tense even under extremely (high) pressure moments and that is why his players responded with this impressive win." Pakistani media also trumpeted the team's win on the main television news and with front-page headlines. "no. It wasn't a dream. Pakistan's spin merchants ran through a hapless england batting, stealing the unlikeliest of victories from the highest-ranking Test team in the world," the news said under a banner headline "The Triumph." "Shamed and humiliated, three of its players were in prison for spot-fixing, and a combination of politics, intrigue, nepotism and sheer incompetence had taken its toll on the team," said a local paper. College student Farooq Khan said Misbah's men had made the nation proud. "we hear so many bad things about our cricket team, but in the last two years Misbah and his team have made us proud," said Khan. "we are proud of the team, Misbah and coach Mohsin Khan."
AFP AKISTAn captain Misbah-ul haq on Sunday said he hoped his team's series win over test cricket's number one side england will earn them respect from the cricketing world after a turbulent period which tarnished their image. Dogged by off-the-field problems like failed dope tests and lack of discipline, Pakistan cricket hit the lowest ebb on their 2010 tour of england when three of their top players were caught in a spot-fixing scandal. "I think the whole world should acknowledge and accept that Pakistan cricket is coming up, the way our players are performing and they should accept it. Such (negative) things can happen anywhere and we must forget them," said Misbah. Misbah, 37, stressed his team will build further on the success against england. "we have put everything behind us," said Misbah, who has led from the front hitting 12 fifties as captain. "I think whichever team is doing well it should be accepted, our team deserves that and with the self confidence we have, we can do better." Coach Mohsin Khan, who rather unluckily will be replaced by former Australian batsman Dav whamore after the series, said these are good days to relish after the bad times. "I definitely agree with Misbah, we deserve more respect for the performances we have put together," said Khan. Khan said the impressive win over england will only improve Pakistan's image. "A win over the world's top team is the best thing Pakistan could have achieved," said Khan. Former captain Ramiz Raja said Pakistan have earned respect. "I think they have earned respect," said Raja. "They deserve a lot of praise for the manner in which they have beaten the world's best side, its no mean achievement." Raja said the whole nation -- embroiled in terrorism, corruption and bad governance -- can take a lead from the cricket team. "I think the whole nation can take the lead from the sequence of the team's wins. The team has shown more wisdom, sincerity and hard work which people in Pakistan should match in all walks of lives," said Raja. "no praise is enough for this team which has lifted its image and the way they have beaten the world's best team like toddlers is a great achievement," said Raja.
Positive spin for Ajmal and co in ICC rankings ABu DhABI Afp
He Pakistani spin duo of Saeed Ajmal and Abdul rehman were rewarded for their match-winning efforts against the world's number one-ranked test outfit england by moving up in the world bowling rankings released on Sunday. Ajmal and rehman destroyed the england batting on Saturday in the second Test here taking nine wickets between them as the english were all out for 72 in their second innings, their lowest total ever in tests against the Pakistanis. It gave Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the
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three test series as they won by 72 runs. Ajmal took 3-22 while rehman recorded career best figures of 6-25 which saw the former rise one place to number two in the ICC (International Cricket Council) bowlers' rankings, while rehman is in ninth place after moving up five places and is in the top ten for the first time. Ajmal - who also reached the landmark of 100 test wickets in only his 19th match - trails number-one ranked Dale Steyn of South Africa by 84 points. This is the first time in 23 years that two Pakistan spinners figure inside the top 10 of the Test player rankings. In September 1988, Abdul Qadir was ranked fifth and Iqbal Qasim 10th, the ICC said.
Technique wrong, confidence shot, judgment missing ExpERt COMMENt
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NGLAND have been embarrassed on this tour with the bat and you can point the finger at this team and say they don’t play cricket in the subcontinent at all well. That is difficult to take as a team which believes it is the best but even top sides lose when they only have two batsmen
in the top six playing with authority. Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott are the only batsmen who look comfortable but they are not the kind of guys to dominate the game. They occupy the crease. The rest of the top six are struggling for technique, judgement, scoring options and, biggest of all, confidence. When you lose your confidence horrible things happen and it takes a long time to get it back. It can’t be rediscovered overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and the players will need to show guts and courage over the next few days to find a game plan against Pakistani spin bowlers who will bowl exactly the same way in Dubai next week. We have heard england talk about setting new goals. Well now they have to reevaluate and do it pretty quickly. They can start by not hiding anymore and admitting they have a problem batting in the sub-continent on low, slow wickets. Andy Flower,
the coach, was the best player of spin of his generation. He was so good because he could defend and had boundary options whether it was using the sweep or hitting down the ground. The best players of spin have the ability to score 360 degrees of the ground. At the moment england have too many players who can only hit through 90 degrees. It makes it easier for Pakistan to defend the boundary leaving england with not enough options to take the pressure off. england need to look at the way misbah-ul-Haq plays the spinners. He plants his front foot down and either plays through extra cover or hits over the top. Unless you are a brilliant sweeper, that is the way to play. misbah’s opposite number, Andrew Strauss, is in a horrible position and that is a worry. He is such a good leader and a very strong man but now the team have started losing people have begun to look at his form
and his average over the last year and a half. He needs a score for his peace of mind. I have been there as a captain when the team are winning but you are not scoring runs. You say to yourself ‘I am contributing to the team success by being captain’. But when you are still not scoring runs and the team are losing, your confidence goes. He needs runs for his own good. Forget about end of career predictions. That is rubbish. He needs runs for his own well being to give himself energy because you soon feel drained as a captain when you are not playing well and the team is losing. The job exhausts you. Strauss still has energy, he just needs runs to bring back the feelgood factor. The problem is that he needs to score runs in a part of the world where he is not comfortable playing on the pitches and unable to score off the back foot. He is trying to force it by going back and relying on the cut
shot, but that leaves him without any other scoring opportunities off the spinners. midoff and mid-on are out of the equation when Strauss is facing the spinner. He is not alone. Pietersen’s technique against left-arm spinners is shot. Last year when he was playing well he was hitting it through extra cover or mid-off. He looked solid. Now he is playing across the front pad. Dangerous. Ian Bell is totally bamboozled by Saeed Ajmal. Both Shane Warne and muttiah muralitharan had the better of Bell. Now Ajmal, another world class spinner, has him in trouble which raises questions about his ability to play top spin bowlers. eoin morgan is at a crossroads in his career. He came out and tried to play shots in the second innings but got out. He is caught in the fog. He does not know how to build a Test innings. He is now thinking ‘should I just play shots?’ (Telegraph)