Bopara’s wicket was the key: Misbah-ul-Haq credits http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Umar-Gul-c94604 – Cricket News Update
Pakistani Captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755
won the game by 8-runs.
"The turning point was Ravi Bopara's wicket. The way he was going, the game was over for us," he said.
After posting a respectable but beatable total of 144, the host team managed to dismiss http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adrian-Roger-Kirshaw-Pierson-c42135 it out at the crease, as the likes of
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Eoin-Joseph-Gerard-Morgan-c56032 (14) came and went.
With England seemingly cruising to the target at the end of the 15th over, Misbah brought his spearhead pacer back into the attack. This proved the pivotal moment for the Men in Green, as Bopara was undone by a leg-stump yorker, which went onto
shatter the stumps. The right-hander, dejectedly, departed the field after making a useful 39.
"Gul really bowled very well. There was no answer to his bowling," Misbah said. Gul went on to win the Player of the Match award, for his stunning 3 wicket haul, achieved at the cost of just 18 runs.
The 27-year-old’s performance was also acknowledged by the English captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SCJ-Broad-c2465, who admitted that it was Bopara’s wicket that played a major part in the team’s loss.
"It was probably Ravi getting out," Broad observed. "He got a good reverse-swinging leg-stump Yorker."
Misbah also went on to praise spinner Saeed Ajmal, and his masterful bowling in the penultimate over kept the Poms on a tight spot. With 22 runs needed, the Pakistani spinner managed to restrict the opponents to just 4 runs in the 19th over, which
ultimately put the team within touching distance of a much needed victory.
In addition, the skipper also acknowledged the efforts of Shahid Afridi, who claimed the prized wicket of Pietersen.
"When you've got Umar Gul, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Saeed-Ajmal-c87859 - three of the top bowlers in Twenty20 cricket, top wicket-takers - you've always got a chance,” said Misbah, lauding the trio for having turned on the pressure for the visitors.
After having whitewashed England in the Test matches, only to face a crushing 4-0 defeat in the ODIs, the Men in Green will be looking to claim another series win. The next T20 is scheduled for February 25.
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