Pakistan likely to field four-pronged spin attack in the 3rd ODI – Cricket News Update
Pakistan skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972 has said that they might play four spinners in the deciding One Day International against Australia, in Sharjah, on Monday. He however made it clear that it was only a possibility and the starting XI will be finalized only
after assessing the playing conditions in Sharjah, shortly before the start of the match.
Spin has been Pakistan’s major strength in the ongoing three-match series. The Australian batsmen failed to read Saeed Ajmal’s off-spin in the first two games of the series, and this is the reason the right-arm spinner is currently leading the wickets chart
with seven scalps at an impressive average of 8.85. He has been well complemented by fellow spinners, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Abdur-Rehman-c41691.
Afridi, who scored a nought and claimed one wicket for 37 runs at Sharjah last Tuesday, missed Friday’s second ODI at Abu Dhabi due to a back problem. Left-arm orthodox spinner, Abdur Rehman, replaced the flamboyant all-rounder in the second ODI.
While speaking to the media person ahead of the third and final One Day International against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 skipper said that fielding a four-pronged spin attack had crossed their mind but the decision could back fire if they end up bowling second
on Monday night.
“Playing a fourth spinner depends on what sort of wicket we get in Sharjah,” said Misbah ahead of the third ODI. “One more thing that we have to keep in mind is that we may have to bowl second again. So, it might be a problem for the spinners because of
the dew factor. We have to look into everything,” he added further.
Playing four spinners would mean leg-spin all-rounder Shahid Afridi returning to the fold at the expense of any of the two pacers, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mohammad-Junaid-Khan-c77037. However, considering Junaid Kahn’s impressive performance in Abu Dhabi (3 for 52), Tanvir is
the most likely option to be rested tonight.
Australia, meanwhile, will be relying heavily on their pace-heavy attack, including likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Pattinson-c1653.
Pakistan lost the opening ODI by four wickets before turning the tables on mighty Aussies in the second ODI, by clinching a seven-wicket win and are quite confident going into the series decider. However, Misbah urged his players to be wary of formidable
Aussies.
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