Team work behind series win, says Pakistan skipper

Ag PPI

ISLAMABAD: Captain Babar Azam has attributed team’s success in the sixth straight international series to some exciting and professional display by the members of his squad and they must be given credit for this amazing run.

In a post-series media talk, Babar said winning both the Tests by an innings margin was a commendable accomplishment.

“We won our sixth straight series — Two Test, three T20I and one ODI series. The credit must go to all the team members especially the likes of Hasan Ali, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abid Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Rizwan and others. All ensured Pakistan’s supremacy first against South Africa and then against Zimbabwe.”

In the Test series against Zimbabwe, he said the batsmen and bowlers managed their job professionally.

“It is never easy to win a Test by an innings and that too in and around three days. We did that with some amazing performances. Hasan Ali was seen at the top of his form. Abid too played a special knock. Shaheen and Nauman bowled well. It was an exhibition of quality teamwork.”

Babar hoped that these back-to-back victories would help Pakistan to team up in the best possible way for future series.

“We have some tough white-ball assignments ahead. These wins would help us go into the future limited-overs series in a much better way. Besides these series we have T20 World Cup ahead of us.”

Zimbabwe stand-in captain Brendon Taylor wanted his batsmen to be more responsible going into the next Test series against Bangladesh.

“The batsmen will have to pick up their game. Though we were missing some key players in the series, I believe that going down in three days is not an ideal sign. We have to improve our performance before the series against Bangladesh.”

Babar first to win first four Tests

KARACHI: Babar Azam has become the first Pakistan captain to win his four Tests.

Babar followed up his two home Test wins against South Africa with two victories against Zimbabwe in Harare, both by innings margins.

Pakistan defeated South Africa in Tests and T20Is at home earlier this year and then won the T20I and ODI series in the return series before wrapping up the African safari with T20I and Test series wins in Harare.

This is the sixth time that Pakistan have won six or more series on the trot. Pakistan won 13 straight series in 2011-12, nine consecutive series in 2015-16, eight successive series in 2001-02 and six straight series in 1993-94 and 2017-18.