Pakistan Skipper Azhar Ali says there are many positive things despite defeat in Test series against England and expressed hope for the upcoming T20 matches.
SOUTHAMPTON: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 26th, 2020) Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali said they played good cricket but only one session of bad bowling cost them series against England on Wednesday.
A three-match contest in which both the second and third Tests at Southampton were weather-affected draws ultimately hinged on England's three-wicket win in the series opener at Old Trafford.
Answering a question that what the mistakes were there which led the team to defeat in Test series against England, Azhar Ali said: “Lots of mistakes take place like run out..and many things were there to do but many things were going smooth. Perhaps, at some stage, bowling unit or any other trick we missed that cost us Test series,”.
“We didn’t do that much wrong but unfortunately test match turned against us,” said the skipper.
However, he said there were many positives things and they were optimistic about the upcoming T20 matches.
Talking about Babar Azam and Naseem Shah, Azhar Ali said Babar Azam played well during the series despite that there were tough conditions.
“Babar Azam made runs with consistency in all three series is exemplary for all of us,” said Azhar Ali.
He also defended the performance of Naseem Shah, saying that he was good bowler and showed some glimpses. “It is cricket and it happens that sometimes a player is failed to show performance but I’m still positive,” he further said.
Answering to another question about pressure, Azhar Ali said that he was under huge pressure when they faced defeat in the first Test match. He said they focused to turn around and to win the series. “We all were sad after defeat in the first Test match,” said Azhar, adding that they focused to mend their ways to win the series.
Pakistan who had not played international cricket for several months because of COVID-19, were the better side for much of the time in Manchester until, having reduced England to 117-5 chasing a target of 277, they were undone by a partnership of 139 between Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes.
But even though this was Pakistan's first series defeat by England in a decade, the like of opening batsman Shan Masood, who made 156 in Manchester, and the pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah all impressed at different stages.
It was wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, however, who was named Pakistan's man of the series following an outstanding campaign behind the stumps that also saw him score 336 runs, including two fifties, at an average of over 40.
“There is great regret (at losing the first Test) but congratulations to England,” said Azhar following the finish of the third Test on Tuesday.
