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http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/01/25/...seeks-consolation-odi-win#JEoh1aw1lpYjvmjU.99
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali admits home is on the mind of the beaten tourists.
But he says the journey can be made somewhat sweeter by downing Australia in Thursday's fifth and final one-dayer at Adelaide Oval.
Azhar is among some Pakistani cricketers who have spent little time at home since a Test tour of England last July-August.
That tour was followed by series against the West Indies in the UAE in October, versus New Zealand in November and then the Australian summer.
"We have been away from home for a long time, just went for a week after the England tour," Azhar told reporters on Wednesday.
"So we have been away from home for a long, long time so it has been quite hard anyway.
"It's the last game and the best motivation we have because, after we play tomorrow, we go home - and, if we finish off with a win, that will give us a lot of good relief going home."
Australia take a 3-1 lead into the last game of the series after Pakistan's inept fielding had helped gift the hosts a victory last Sunday in Sydney.
"Obviously, the performance we gave in the field was nowhere near good enough," Azhar said.
"It's one of the days you want to forget ... the amount of work we have done throughout this series has been exceptional but, on that day, we were just very poor, so we just want to get our concentration right, our focus right and try and get it better."
Azhar also ruled out using spoiling Australia Day celebrations as an inspiration for his side on Thursday.
"You never think like that," he said.
"Australia have been playing really good cricket throughout the summer especially the later half of the summer.
"We just want to finish the tour very well - we don't really want to spoil anything."
Read more at http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/01/25/...seeks-consolation-odi-win#ZA1KWcDqov2XLP7W.99
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali admits home is on the mind of the beaten tourists.
But he says the journey can be made somewhat sweeter by downing Australia in Thursday's fifth and final one-dayer at Adelaide Oval.
Azhar is among some Pakistani cricketers who have spent little time at home since a Test tour of England last July-August.
That tour was followed by series against the West Indies in the UAE in October, versus New Zealand in November and then the Australian summer.
"We have been away from home for a long time, just went for a week after the England tour," Azhar told reporters on Wednesday.
"So we have been away from home for a long, long time so it has been quite hard anyway.
"It's the last game and the best motivation we have because, after we play tomorrow, we go home - and, if we finish off with a win, that will give us a lot of good relief going home."
Australia take a 3-1 lead into the last game of the series after Pakistan's inept fielding had helped gift the hosts a victory last Sunday in Sydney.
"Obviously, the performance we gave in the field was nowhere near good enough," Azhar said.
"It's one of the days you want to forget ... the amount of work we have done throughout this series has been exceptional but, on that day, we were just very poor, so we just want to get our concentration right, our focus right and try and get it better."
Azhar also ruled out using spoiling Australia Day celebrations as an inspiration for his side on Thursday.
"You never think like that," he said.
"Australia have been playing really good cricket throughout the summer especially the later half of the summer.
"We just want to finish the tour very well - we don't really want to spoil anything."
Read more at http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/01/25/...seeks-consolation-odi-win#ZA1KWcDqov2XLP7W.99
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