Pakistan’s Younis Khan (C) carries a stump at the end of the first Test against Australia at Dubai International Stadium in Dubai yesterday. (AFP)
Senior Pakistan batsman Younis Khan, who capped a memorable Test against Australia in Dubai with hundreds in both innings, said he had thought of skipping the two-match series after being dropped from the 50-over squad.
The former captain, who will turn 37 next month, had criticised the selectors and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after being dropped for the ODI series against Australia.
And yesterday he refused to give credit to the board or the selectors and only thanked Zimbabwean Grant Flower, the team’s batting coach, and trainer Grant Ludan for his stellar performance.
“Yes I thought about skipping the test series because I was not in proper frame of mind and struggling. And we are playing against a top side like Australia,” Younuis said after Pakistan’s 221-run win.
“But my friends, supporters and the media... I thank them for convincing me to play. “I am just happy that my performance helped the team win because we needed this win for a while now.”
Yesterday’s win was Pakistan’s first over Australia in Tests since 2010 and they have not won a Test series against Australia since 1994. Younis, who became Pakistan’s leading Test century maker with 26 hundreds, last month slammed the selectors and board for not showing senior players enough respect. He had also offered to step down from the test side but the PCB avoided taking any disciplinary action against him despite confirming that Younus had violated code of conduct for players.
Younis avoided mentioning the names of team manager Moin Khan, also the chief selector, and head coach Waqar Younis or the PCB at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Host Ramiz Raja, a former Pakistan captain, urged him to give credit to the board for selecting him but Younis was in no mood to be generous.
“I give lot of credit to Grant Ludon and Grant Flower who worked hard with me before this test to get me ready for the match psychologically and mentally,” Younis said.
“Grant Flower spent a lot of time with me in the nets and mentally he prepared me for a bruising time against a top class Australian attack.
“Even though I was hit a couple of times on the body I was expecting this and managed to stay firm.”
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq was also under pressure because of his poor form but came good in the test with a 69 in the first innings. The 40-year-old had opted to sit out of the third ODI against Australia because of his lack of runs and there were calls to sack him before next year’s World Cup.
“I think such a performance was just round the corner. Now we have a very good chance of becoming the first Pakistani side to win a test series against Australia in a long time and we will not let up in the second test in Abu Dhabi,” said Misbah.
Misbah hails crushing victory over Australia
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq hailed his side’s first Test victory over Australia in Dubai yesterday as ‘one of the finest wins’ but added his team needed to remain focused to win the series.
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,” said Misbah after the match. “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. 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 an illegal bowling action last month 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 (61) and Steven Smith (55) added 65 for the eighth wicket. “Of course, you want to finish such games early. I was a bit worried as captain and it worries the coach also, because if it goes till the end then its a worry for us, we missed four chances but that’s cricket and you have to forget that and you have got to have belief that you can do it and the boys made it,” said Misbah, who praised Younis Khan, the man-of-the-match.
“He is a legend,” said Misbah of Younis who made twin centuries in the Test. “He is a role model for the youngsters.” Australian captain Michael Clarke felt his team has improved against spinners since their 4-0 routing in India last year. “Unfortunately the result is the same as what it was in India. But I think as a team in general we’ve improved out of sight since that series, for a number of reasons,” said Clarke.
