"As a senior player, I should have finished the match" : Azhar Ali on first Test against New Zealand

[Abdullah719]

"As a senior player, I should have finished the match" : Azhar Ali on first Test against New Zealand

Azhar Ali speaking to ARY in an interview:

"When the match finished and we lost, there was a lot of disappointment at coming so close and still losing"

"You get limited chances to win your country a match from such a position, so I was disappointed to not finish it. Circumstances were difficult. As a senior player, I should have finished the match. However, I tried my best and I have no regrets as I gave my full effort. A person can only try and I tried what I thought was right but we fell a few runs short"

"In the last 2-3 overs I was trying to get us close to the target then a boundary could win us the game. I tried lapping the ball over the keeper in the previous over too"

"In the last couple overs, I was trying to stay on strike for the last 2 balls as NZ might bring up one of the fielders which would open up the chance to hit a four or six. But they kept the fielders at the boundary throughout. They tried to keep us in that situation for as long as they could"

"Unfortunately, in the over I got out in, I was thinking the same thing - they might bring a fielder up and then I'd get a chance to hit a boundary. I thought they'd want to get a chance to get Abbas on strike. Unfortunately on that ball, perhaps thinking ahead towards hitting a boundary, I missed the ball"

"When players who have played cricket say such things (that players aren't hurt after losing such matches), I can only hope that Allah guides them. Cricketers specially know what feelings a sportsman goes through after losing. They should think about the things they are saying... I don't want to say anything further on this"

"In the previous Test, we played quite a lot of good cricket too. What happens is that when you lose, all the good things go to the background and the weaknesses come to the fore. Similarly while winning, weaknesses are hidden as well"

"We will start afresh and the team definitely has the potential and has always performed well specially in these conditions. We will try to be positive despite the result and will bounce back as we have done in the past. We are confident of making a comeback into the series and winning it as well"

 

[Hasan123]

When he doesn't perform he always takes responsibility for his poor performance but its not enough. A player who has been playing test cricket for 8 years should be finishing the game off in that situation.

 

[Blistering Barnacle]

I think Azhar tried to manufacture a few shots. Unorthodox shots (for him anyway).

He was unable to succeed.

 

[Savak]

Ofcourse he should have, what the hell have you played 60 plus test matches and for 8 years for. The reason why NZ felt comfortable keeping fielders on the boundary because they know how talentless this night watchman is.

 

[rhony]

Can't blame him for the thought process there. Makes sense and he justified with that ramp shot attempt. Just couldn't execute and it happens. He almost won it and considering his badform it's amazing he brought it so close. If theres anything to blame him for, it's the Runout of Babar.

 

[Ami]

New Zealand played the last 7-8 overs perfectly when Pak were 9 down.

They wanted to keep Pak in the field for as long as possible, esp when they realised that Azhar-Abbas had decided to take it in singles.

This gave New Zealnd maximum balls at both the batsmen...trying to get either out, with batter's nerves jangling at every passing ball.

Williamson would have only brought the fielders in with may be a couple needed or even a single.

Well played guys...!

 

[Usman Chadda]

As a senior player, you need to start playing like a senior player should. Azhar's no-show has been one of the main reasons for the Test team being so bad in recent times. I'm starting to think he can never be the leader of a batting line-up, and here some jokers were suggesting he be made captain

 

[Cric1234]

As a senior player scoring 22 of 95 in the first innings was one of the main reasons the target was a tricky one instead of a comfortable one maybe scoring quicker in the first innings won't turn wins into losses.

 

[UP]

This tailender should be the last one talking. Horrible batsman - goes nowhere when he bats and bores us to death.

 

[Ab Fan]

I think he needs to be more dynamic. A SR of 40 is just not acceptable and he needs to show more intent towards his game. Even if he has to increase that extra risk, he should go for it. That Strike Rate with that batting average is too low to make any impact on the game.

 

[Shafi]

Instead of this pleasing talk he should admit of extreme limitation in shot selection and work hard to overcome as best as he can.

 

[Markhor]

Meanwhile as England celebrate an amazing finishing job by Ben Stokes, I cannot help but cast my mind back to this pathetic display of cowardice from Azhar Ali when he tried to knock off the last remaining 12 runs in 12 overs in this Abu Dhabi runchase.

 

[Savak]

Meanwhile as England celebrate an amazing finishing job by Ben Stokes, I cannot help but cast my mind back to this pathetic display of cowardice from Azhar Ali when he tried to knock off the last remaining 12 runs in 12 overs in this Abu Dhabi runchase.

Azhar Ali is Misbah ul Haqs gift to Pakistan. That tells you everything

 

[GreenKhan]

Azhar Ali made his debut in 2010 . Even before Misbah became captain . Under misbah’s captaincy he was a solid performer . Let’s not distort facts due to personal hatred and bias .