Misbah hails crushing victory
27 Oct 2014 10:46 PM GMT
Pakistan thrashed Australia by 221 runs on the fifth and final day with just 21.5 overs remaining in the game. Australia were dismissed for 216 after left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar took 5-74 and leg spinner Yasir Shah finished with 4-50 to give Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.
Misbah said the win was the second best behind a 3-0 rout of the then world number one team England in the United Arab Emirates in 2012. ‘It’s difficult where to rank this win but it is one of the finest victories. I always rank 3-0 against England at the top but after that this is a big achievement, also as captain. We will try to do this again and try to focus more and are determined not to be lazy against a team like Australia who always look for an opportunity,’ said Misbah after the match.
Pakistan will look to win or avoid defeat in the second Test, starting in Abu Dhabi on October 30, to
seal their first series victory against Australia since 1994. Misbah said the win was an achievement in the context of Pakistan’s 2-0 defeat in Tests in Sri Lanka and 3-0 humiliation in the preceding one-day series against Australia. ‘Of course, a victory against any side is always important in a Test, especially against Australia and in the context that we were playing before, the last series (in Sria Lanka in August) then we lost the one-days and the Twenty20 and also not having your regular players here,’ said Misbah.
Pakistan were without their ace spinner Saeed Ajmal, suspended for illegal bowling action, and injured frontline seamers Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz. Misbah said it was frustrating not to get wickets in the second session when Mitchell Johnson and Steven Smith added 65 for the eighth wicket. ‘I was a bit worried as captain because if it goes till the end then its a concern for us. But that’s cricket,’ the skipper said.
Misbah said the win was the second best behind a 3-0 rout of the then world number one team England in the United Arab Emirates in 2012. ‘It’s difficult where to rank this win but it is one of the finest victories. I always rank 3-0 against England at the top but after that this is a big achievement, also as captain. We will try to do this again and try to focus more and are determined not to be lazy against a team like Australia who always look for an opportunity,’ said Misbah after the match.
Pakistan will look to win or avoid defeat in the second Test, starting in Abu Dhabi on October 30, to
seal their first series victory against Australia since 1994. Misbah said the win was an achievement in the context of Pakistan’s 2-0 defeat in Tests in Sri Lanka and 3-0 humiliation in the preceding one-day series against Australia. ‘Of course, a victory against any side is always important in a Test, especially against Australia and in the context that we were playing before, the last series (in Sria Lanka in August) then we lost the one-days and the Twenty20 and also not having your regular players here,’ said Misbah.
Pakistan were without their ace spinner Saeed Ajmal, suspended for illegal bowling action, and injured frontline seamers Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz. Misbah said it was frustrating not to get wickets in the second session when Mitchell Johnson and Steven Smith added 65 for the eighth wicket. ‘I was a bit worried as captain because if it goes till the end then its a concern for us. But that’s cricket,’ the skipper said.
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