Pakistan all set for Test series against Australia at Lord’s
Skipper of the Pakistan cricket team http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 at Lord's. Afridi has asked his team to build on the T20 series win over the kangaroos and take the momentum into the test matches as well.
The back-to-back T20 wins against the ferocious Australian squad at Edgbaston suggests that Ricky Ponting could face a battle of survival against Pakistan. It was the same Australian team that kicked Pakistan out of the World T20 championship in the Caribbean after a nerve-jangling game. But history did not repeat itself as Pakistan had the services of their death over specialist in T20 cricket. Umar Gul put a full stop at the blitz of Michael Hussy with his vicious yorkers at the f*g end of the innings. Umar Akmal’s whirlwind half-centuries were well supported by the bowlers, especially with pacers Umar Gul and the left-arm teenage sensation Mohammad Aamer. Both bowlers helped Pakistan in breaking a 12-match losing streak against the Kangaroos.
Pakistan, in its devastating tour of Australia earlier this year, could not win a single match and were whitewashed by the Kangaroos in all three formats of international cricket. The winless tour unfolded into a series of bans and fines imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on senior players. As a result, more youngsters made it for the touring party in England without two veteran test players, former skippers Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf. Both Younis and Yousuf are facing certain disciplinary charges from the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The major cause of concern for Afridi, during the test series, would be to push his batting armoury to stay at the crease for a longer duration. If the batting line manages to do so well, they can win the test series with ease. Pakistan is coming into the first test with a threatening bowling department featuring paceman Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Mohammad Aamer and Saeed Ajmal. Leg-spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Danish-Kaneria-c1314 would be lifting the bowling line-up with his wily and probing bowling.
All-rounder Shahid Afridi, who has not donned the cricketing whites since 2006 claimed, “I think now we have regained our winning habit, we must work harder to maintain it”.
The aggressive captain, however, admitted that the absence of Younis and Yousuf has left a big hole in the top-order batting for Pakistan. Both the experienced test players average above 50 runs per match in test cricket. With Yousuf and Younis left behind, Umar Akmal is the only player in the top six for Pakistan who has a test average exceeding 40 runs. The 20-year-old Umar Akmal has played just six test matches so far in his international career.
Australia's Michael Hussey said that in the test series they would test the depth of Pakistan side. He said that the absence of outstanding, classy test cricketers Younis and Yousuf can be a big loss for the side in the test series. The left-handed middle-order batsman further added that http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Green-c60723 Shirts would miss those runs that the two prolific players used to score consistently in a third-wicket partnership during test matches.
Hussy at the same time acknowledged the bowling attack of the Pakistan. He said, “But their bowling attack looks outstanding. They're very well balanced and they cover all bases very well”.
Pakistan team would play six Tests in seven weeks against Australia and England. The national coach of Pakistan side Waqar Younis called the England tour a restart for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in various aspects. He said that the schedule of the tour is quite hectic and would be a tough tour for the young players. However, at the same time, the youngsters would learn a lot from the three month tour of England.
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