"It's just a matter of time until you start playing fluently and the runs start coming" : Azhar Ali

[SL_Fan]

"It's just a matter of time until you start playing fluently and the runs start coming" : Azhar Ali

Link

Pakistan need more output from star legspinner Yasir Shah and prolific batsman Younis Khan if they are to square the Test series against New Zealand.

Pakistan expect two of their most dominant players to have key roles in what they say will be a much-improved second Test outing against New Zealand.

Batsman Younis Khan and legspinner Yasir Shah were barely sighted in the eight-wicket loss in Christchurch, a result which leaves Pakistan on the verge of losing an enviable Test series streak.

They have won their five of their last seven series and drawn the other two on the way to a world No.2 ranking.

Central to that run has been Yasir, ranked the world's fifth-best bowler after racing to 116 wickets in just two years of Test cricket.

The 30-year-old went wicketless at Hagley Oval in conditions far better suited to seam bowling

Interim captain Azhar Ali says there is no thought given to dropping his strike weapon for the second Test starting in Hamilton on Friday, despite the expectation of more green conditions.

"He's so good and he's been performing exceptionally well, even in England he's got a lot of wickets," Azhar said.

"Whatever the conditions tell us, we'll always try to pick our best XI."

Younis, who has scored 9666 Test runs, managed just three in Christchurch - the lowest tally from any of his 111 matches when batting in both innings.

He was undone in the second innings when gloving a throat-high bouncer from Neil Wagner, who turned the Test with a spell of sustained aggression.

Azhar admits Younis and the rest of the Pakistan top order will need to find ways to counter Wagner's methods.

"If you come to this part of the world, you expect that," Azhar said.

"You expect subcontinent teams will be tested with that short stuff and we all knew that. We're hopeful to turn things around quickly."

With his team missing unavailable captain Misbah-ul-Haq at Seddon Park, Azhar wants to show the way with the bat.

He battled to scores of 15 and 31 in Christchurch, the latter innings lasting more than four hours.

It was a frustrating experience for the opener, who scored a triple century against the West Indies in Dubai last month.

"I was applying myself and trying to battle out the conditions," he said.

"We couldn't get the flow of runs going at any stage. Sometimes the opposition doesn't allow you to score runs," he said.

"But I feel very confident inside. It's just a matter of time until you start playing fluently and the runs start coming."

 

[Abdullah719]

Hopefully the 'matter of time' will be sooner rather than later as we have a match to win.

 

[MenInG]

I think he will do fine. Azhar Ali needs to man-up now and not delve into any negatives. He has a team to lead!

 

[Amjid Javed]

In 2nd inns Azhars insistence was just to survive and in those conditions where you are likely to get a good ball and eventually was the wrong way to go.. would have been better to have been positive and used some controlled aggression but also try and manipulate the ball around the park better.. Blockathons in tough games never advance a game in your favor and once a few wickets fall u have just wasted time without going forward and are in a worse position then before.

Azhar needs to lead from front with bat in this 2nd test.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

He does exactly the opposite of what he says in interviews.

 

[Rayyman]

You can't just wait for the runs to come; You have to try to get them.

 

[Mamoon]

For you, it has been a matter of 6 years and counting.

 

[The cricket enthusiast]

soo... next test pakistan will bundle out tryng to hit out. unlike 1st test

 

[Abdullah719]

soo... next test pakistan will bundle out tryng to hit out. unlike 1st test

They already did that in the first innings, going for extravagant drives when the ball was moving around on Day 1 pitch.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Don't know about others but I have never liked Azhar Ali as a captain. It's like asking a sheep to lead a group of tigers and lions. Misbah looks a much better captain body language wise and also personality wise.

 

[ali2220]

Don't know about others but I have never liked Azhar Ali as a captain. It's like asking a sheep to lead a group of tigers and lions. Misbah looks a much better captain body language wise and also personality wise.

Anyone will look a better skipper when u compare him with Azhar, however Azhar is the skipper coz Misbah thinks he's the most suitable person to lead the side. What a smart guy Misbah is!

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Its about attitude Mr Azhar Ali. If your mindset only is occupying the crease then you will eventually struggle to even hit bad deliveries. It's something you expect in crisis situations or from tail enders.

But this is their UAE formula which has mostly clicked since 2010. We haven't played much abroad since 2014 the reason we haven't been exposed much.

 

[The_KING]

Please Azhar bat like a batsman in the second match.