ISLAMABAD: Pakistan are likely to retain the same winning combination going into the second Test against hosts Zimbabwe, aiming at a clean sweep to build timely confidence for the forthcoming Test series.
Team captain Babar Azam in a virtual media talk from Harare Thursday said that a realistic approach would be to go into the second Test with the same combination.
“Yet, we have finalised a 13-member squad for the second Test. Two pacers Haris Rauf and Tabish Khan have been added to the team that played the opening Test. Considering state of the wicket today (Friday), we would pick our best XI for the match. However, if the wicket remains more or less the same as was there in the first Test we would go with the same combination. Retaining the winning combination always helps in building confidence of the players. So the best way forward is to retain the same combination unless and until there is a need for a change.”
Babar wanted to establish a competitive Test unit ahead of the series against West Indies. “We need a solid and confident unit for the next Test series against West Indies. Wherever we feel loopholes, we want to plug these well in time for the series against West Indies. Our openers are picking up and hopefully, these will be seen playing even better in the second Test.”
Pakistan’s all format captain hoped that a clean sweep here would set up the momentum for a better performance ahead.
“We want to retain the same ascendency against Zimbabwe. For that, we are to play our best team. It is not like that we are shy of including youngsters but we want to give our settled unit a longer run for gaining international experience. We finished off Zimbabwe inside three days in the first Test with openers chipping in, middle-order also coming to the party. Fawad Alam was seen playing at his usual best and more importantly pacers led by Hasan Ali making a decisive contribution to pin down the hosts. In Test cricket, you rarely get chances of shuffling your resources as in comparison with white-ball cricket. We play far less Test. Generally, teams prefer retaining winning combination.”
Babar is eyeing much-improved performance with the bat. “Unluckily, I got out without troubling the scorer in the first Test. This time around I am looking forward to a longer stay at the wicket. I want to play a big innings when I land at the crease.”
Babar defended off-spinner Sajid Khan’s inclusion ahead of leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood in the first Test-playing XI.
“Against left-handed batsmen, off-spinner gives you multiple options. That was the reason for Sajid’s selection ahead of a leg-spinner. Sajid is coming out of a successful domestic season so he deserves a chance.”
Test captain spoke highly of Faheem Ashraf rating him as the best all-rounder. “Don’t judge a player from a single performance. Faheem has been contributing to the team’s cause starting from the New Zealand series. He has proved his worth both with bat and ball.”
He termed openers’ role vital in raising a winning combination. “Openers’ main responsibility is to see off the new ball, helping in reducing the pressure on the middle-order. I am happy that both Imran and Abid have started realising that. Hopefully, they would continue with the same vein in the second Test.”
Babar added that Imamul Haq and Shan Masood are backup in the openers spot. “They can be utilised whenever we need them.”
Regarding the probables for the coming T20 World Cup, he said that Pakistan Super League and later international series would give the management and selectors a better idea to look for the best team.
“We have plenty of time to decide that. After few more series we would be in a position to judge the utility of each player for the World Cup.”
Pakistan squad (from): Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (captain), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Tabish Khan, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan and Haris Rauf.