Pakistan face tough challenge against England, says Naushad

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan goes into tough two-match series against England, former Test cricketer and team manager Col (rtd) Naushad Ali feels lack of professional maturity for five-day game may turn out to be their biggest shortcoming.

Talking to The News Monday, Naushad said that no department looked solid and ready to bear the brunt of Test cricket. “For the first time in recent history, we are witnessing Pakistan team touring England for a Test series with visible shortcomings and that is the required depth of maturity for Test cricket. In all departments even in bowling we lack true professionalism required for Test cricket.”

The former chief selector said the team would miss the services of Yasir Shah, Misbahul Haq and Younis Khan.“These players can be called as true Test cricketers. Yasir is a sort of bowler who knows well how to buy wickets in Test cricket. Against a quality batting side as England is these days, you cannot expect wickets every other over. What you need is a planned and calculated approach to trap a batsman in a web slowly but surely. That art is very much there in Yasir. That is why he has been one of the most successful of Pakistan bowlers in recent past. That quality is missing from his alternate Shadab Khan. He may be good and equally talented but he does not know how to pick wickets in Test cricket. It is just a start of his cricketing career and needs more experience and maturity to earn that distinction.”

Naushad did not have high hopes even from the pace battery that includes Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Abbas, Rahat Ali and Hassan Ali. “Look the Lord’s pitch where the first Test will be played is a fifty/fifty track.

It helps bowlers in patches. On a true sunny day, batsmen feel at ease. So taking 20 wickets would not be easier for Pakistan attack against a quality batting line up. A fit Aamir may be in a position to create early impression, putting England batting line up under consistent pressure would not be easier.”

Naushad rued missing the likes of Misbah and Younis. “The two had been middle order backbone in recent past. Pakistan would surely miss the two especially Misbah who was brilliant with his leadership and fighting qualities as a batsman in England. We may be having experience players in Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali, but I don’t think the two are anyway near to Misbah’s brilliance.”

England he said had a quality attack with the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood ready to make their presence felt. “Even Ben Stokes is back. So all and all, England have a powerful pace attack that suit Lord’s conditions more.”

Naushad predicted a tough series for Pakistan with a new-look Test combination. “Pakistan may be having a very good enthusiastic limited overs team, it is the Test cricket where they would possibly struggle for the time being.”