Sarfraz confident young Pakistan team will click in England

Ag agencies

KARACHI: A young Pakistan Test team will fly out for England early next week with fears that it will struggle there following the exit of the senior duo of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.

And with match-winning leg-spinner Yasir Shah also out of the tour because of injury, not many would bet on the Pakistanis as they embark on a Test tour which will include a one-off Test against Ireland and then two Tests against England.

But ask Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistan captain, and he will tell you that his young team has the guts to spring surprises against England.

“Our hopes are very high and I am very optimistic with these new boys,” he said after a short training camp in Lahore.

“The best thing about these players is that they are willing to perform well at the bigger platform,” added Sarfraz, who led Pakistan to a stunning title-winning triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy in England.

Pakistan’s 16-member squad fly early on Monday and after two side games against county teams in England will play a one-off Test against Ireland at Dublin from May 11-15. It will be a historic Test as the match will mark Ireland’s entry in Test cricket.

Pakistan will then face a formidable England side in two Tests at Lord’s (May 24-28) and Leeds (June 1-5).

Pakistan will be without senior batsmen Younis and Misbah who helped them level a four-match series 2-2 against England in 2016. Both of them retired in May last year.

“Whenever there is a tour of England the conditions are considered as tough. On our previous tour in 2016 we played matches in June but this year we are starting a bit earlier so obviously it will be difficult,” Sarfraz said.

“We are obviously missing our two senior players and we have an inexperienced side,” the captain said of his team which has five players awaiting their Test debut.

Openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq, batsman Usman Salahuddin and allrounder Faheem Ashraf have featured in limited over matches but not in the five-day format.

Middle-order batsman Saad Ali is picked for the national team for the first time after notching 957 runs — the most in the last domestic season.

Pakistan will miss ace spinner Yasir Shah, ruled out of the tours with a hip injury.

“If Yasir was fit he would have been an automatic selection but we still got good spinners and Shahdab Khan is the best option,” said Sarfraz of the 19-year-old who has played just one Test.

Sarfraz beieves Ireland would also be tough opponents.

“They are a strong team with most of their players regularly playing in county cricket in England, so I am expecting a good competitive match against them,” he said.

Pakistan’s selectors have come under intense fire for once again ignoring senior batsman Fawad Alam but Sarfraz brushed it aside.

“Fawad was called among the probables with an intent to consider him for the national selection. We have seen him in the nets and then considered everything before we picked the squad. It’s not like I voted him out; if it was in my hands, I would have picked all 25 players for the tour,” he said.