Published: Aug 10, 2020, 11:44 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 10, 2020, 11:34 AM (IST)
Batting legend Inzamam-ul-Haq reckons Pakistan is a better Test team than England and therefore it was disappointing to see them succumb to a three-wicket defeat in Manchester. In the series opening Test at Old Trafford, England recorded a three-wicket win to take a 1-0 lead on Saturday.
“I think Pakistan team is better than England and we should have won the first Test. It’s very disappointing but I believe Pakistan can still win the series,” Inzamam said on his YouTube channel.
After opting to bat first, thanks to a superlative century from opener Shan Masood, Pakistan were bowled out for a 326. A combined bowling effort, led by legspinner Yasir Shah, then helped the tourists to a 107-run first innings lead as England folded for 219.
However, Azhar Ali’s men failed to build on their first innings batting exploits and collapsed to be bowled out for 169.
“When you are going through a tough phase, the team’s body language should not change. This was clearly the case in the first Test because Pakistan players seemed under pressure after the second innings batting collapse on the third day,” Inzamam observed.
Pakistan had runs on the board and at one stage had had reduced England to 117/5 before allowing Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler to counterattack and wrest control of the chase.
Inzamam says the team management should focus on the positives. “The role of the team management is vital after such a defeat because the players’ morale will be down. They need to talk about the positives, like scoring 300 plus runs and the first innings lead, rather than focusing on the negatives,” the 50-year-old said.
The second Test gets underway from August 13 in Southampton.
