Pakistan prepares for first Test vs South Africa in Dubai
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 is turning into a nightmare. Pakistan has lost the two match Twenty20’s as well as the five match One Day series 3-2. Now Pakistan is all set to face the Afrikaans in a two match Test series,
which is starting from November 12 in Dubai.
Pakistan came to this series under enormous pressure and controversies regarding spot-fixing allegations, in which three major players Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir, and Mohammad Asif, were involved.
Cricket in Pakistan was devastated by these allegations and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was under enormous pressure from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to adopt effective procedures to root out corruption from the country’s cricket or face
sanctions.
The PCB was quick to adopt these new rules and regulations in order to avoid any sanctions from the ICC. The prime step taken by the PCB was the enforcement of a new code of conduct. All the players selected to play the series against South Africa were
made to sign this new code of conduct. The players were also briefed by the members of the ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit on how to avoid being a part of corruption in cricket.
The players coming to the United Arab Emirates were on a mission to redeem their lost trust in the eyes of cricket lovers all over the World. But unfortunately they were unable to defeat the South Africans in the Twenty20’s nor in the One Day Internationals
(ODIs).
The end of the ODI series wasn’t without another debacle for Pakistan, this time wicket keeper Zulqarnain Haider went missing. Later it was revealed that the player had run away from Dubai fearing for his life by bookmakers, who were threatening him to lose
the last match.
Later Haider landed in London and since then the World media is more concerned to dig out Haider’s story, instead of focusing on the upcoming Test between Pakistan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757. Such events without a doubt must have affected the Pakistani players and
now what remains to be seen is how the Pakistan team will go into their first Test against the very formidable South Africans.
With distractions like spot-fixing and Zulqarnain Haider at the back of their minds, it is doubtful Pakistan will be able to play to their full potential.
The Pakistani Test side will be led by new captain, Misbah ul-Haq, and some new players who were not part of the touring side have also been called up. Among them is Adnan Akmal, the younger brother of the injured wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal. Adnan will be
replacing Zulqarnain as the team’s wicketkeeper during the Test series.
Former captain Younis Khan has managed to retain his place in the squad after giving an impressive performance in the ODI series. This surely will give a boost to Pakistan’s struggling batting middle order in the Tests. Younis and Mohammad Yousaf will be
the most important players in the batting line-up and bringing them in the team is a good move.
While another surprise recall is Mohammad Sami, Sami who played his last Test match on 3rd January 2010 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, will be making a comeback and will probably open the bowling with Umar Gul.
If the Pakistanis take their minds off the controversies that are haunting them, we might have a very competitive Test series between the two sides.
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