"We were celebrating our fight back as if we were Hong Kong" : Mohsin Khan

[Abdullah719]

KARACHI: Backing Pakistan to win their maiden Test series Down Under, former head coach Mohsin Khan has rated Misbahul Haq’s squad a ‘much better side’ than the Australia.

The two sides will meet in a Boxing Day Test in Melbourne with Australia enjoying a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, courtesy their 39-run victory in Brisbane.

Pakistan enter the second five-day contest facing a must-win situation, if they want to create history by becoming first Asian side to beat Aussies at home in a Test series, and Mohsin feels visitors can beat hosts in Melbourne as well as in Sydney.

“Pakistan have a much better combination than the current Australian side,” Mohsin told The Express Tribune. “Pakistan’s batting is a blend of experience and young talent. The pace attack is lethal and Misbah has a match-winning spinner as well. All this combined makes Pakistan better than Australia.”

Mohsin, who scored 152 against Australia at the MCG in 1983 during the fourth Test which ended in a stalemate, said that team will need determination and courage to beat the hosts.

“Pakistan have all the ingredients to win back-to-back matches [in Melbourne and Sydney],” he said. “All they need to do is play with determination and courage. The team management needs to come up with a good plan and pick the right combination. Australians play aggressive cricket and Pakistan need to counter them with attack as they say offence is the best defence.”

The former Test cricketer further stressed the inclusion of a right-arm fast-bowler in their attack.

“Australia have majority of left-handers in their batting order and I was shocked Pakistan didn’t play a right-arm fast bowler [in the first Test] when you have two of them — Sohail Khan and Imran Khan.”

Former opener reiterated that Pakistan were missing a specialist opener in the tour. “Pakistan needed openers like Ahmed Shahzad or Khurram Manzoor on this tour. If Sharjeel [Khan] performs well, I will be more than happy but if he fails I won’t be surprised, since he is coming on this tough tour without Test experience.”

Meanwhile, Mohsin was not impressed how Pakistan team management celebrated their fight back after losing in Brisbane.

“It was quite strange to see the team cutting the cake after a defeat. We were celebrating our fight back [in the second innings of the first Test] as if we were Hong Kong,” he commented.

“No doubt Asad Shafiq played a courageous knock and hats off to him. Pakistan must convince themselves that they are a better side than Australia and go into the Boxing Day Test with this approach.”

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1273889/celebrated-fightback-australia-like-minnows-mohsin-khan/

 

[MenInG]

Totally agree with the last bit about the cake issue. This celebration should have happened in private

 

[ali ray]

True dont get complacent and fought till the bitter end...

 

[Hasan123]

He's right the pictures shouldn't have been leaked. But recommending Manzoor and Shehzad is just ridiculous.

 

[Bewal Express]

History shows that we will lose this series 3-0, what will MHK say at the end of the series.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

MHK and his Bayanaat

His singature line is " Play for Pakistan not play with Pakistan "

 

[Markhor]

Former opener reiterated that Pakistan were missing a specialist opener in the tour. “Pakistan needed openers like Ahmed Shahzad or Khurram Manzoor on this tour. If Sharjeel [Khan] performs well, I will be more than happy but if he fails I won’t be surprised, since he is coming on this tough tour without Test experience.”

How did Shehzad do in the 2015 WC in Australia ?

How does Mohsin think Khurram would've fared against the swinging pink ball and on the bouncy Gabba wicket vs Starc and Hazelwood with his awful technique ?

One of the things Inzamam has done right as Chief Selector is keep these two woeful batsmen out of the side.

 

[shaz619]

How did Shehzad do in the 2015 WC in Australia ?

How does Mohsin think Khurram would've fared against the swinging pink ball and on the bouncy Gabba wicket vs Starc and Hazelwood with his awful technique ?

One of the things Inzamam has done right as Chief Selector is keep these two woeful batsmen out of the side.

Yeah but you're a big fan of Inzi so he'll remain this fairy god mother, his selections have been far from perfect; as if sharjeel is any better for the Test Level then Shehzad and Manzoor, picking Nawaz for AUS, no pace bowling A/R, inexperienced Asghar and the inept Rahat ali were all terrible selections. Sohail/Imran are suspect selections to but I can put up with Sohail a little bit due to his batting and performances in England but he's usually done after his first couple of spells not sure if we need that in AUS.

 

[Slog]

Things weren't like this when he was around.

Our players whitewashed England 3-0 and to top all that had amazing chai every day

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Can't believe he recommended Khurram Manzoor of all people

But then again he mentioned Ahmed Shehzad as well so it kinda evens out in the larger context

 

[JibranAnsari]

The pace attack is lethal?

Agree about the celebration bit.

 

[Syed1]

Yeah man we still remember your 3-0 with fondness.

I think MHK's 3-0 even trumps the 92 WC or the 2009 T20 WC, or any of the test victories in India.

 

[Vivek_86]

Pakistan fought very admirably no doubt. But put into context ,the pitch eased out and everybody including tailender s were comfortable. The fight doesn't mean they can do that again next time.

 

[ExplicitAI]

Only change I'd make is replacing Rahat Ali with Sohail Khan. I'm not too sure of giving Sharjeel a go ahead of Sami but he looks to be a bit more confident now to score big.

 

[ego-gambit]

Reality is no tailender while batting thinks about target but as they move close to target panic starts ; Younis or Misbah had to bat through to win matches

 

[zoeyfactor]

Completely agree on the last point of unnecessary celebration.

 

[todfod 11]

pakistan can still do better but they gotta play their own brand of test cricket which is too make bowlers tired and then go for attack .. thats what they have been doing for past 5 years. grind grind and grind.. sharjeel should play the next test though.. hit or miss

 

[Madplayer]

Was he wearing his track suit and sipping the tea while saying this?

On a serious note, he is spot on about the celebration part. To acknowledge a fight back openly is great but cutting cakes should have been kept private.

Also i disagree with his comments about Pakistan's pace attack being "lethal". Its just okay in my opinion. Lack of quality right arm PACE bowlers is a huge issue.

 

[JilaWatan]

i thought they said the cake was for asad cuz he broke the all-time record for most Test centuries from number six!!!

 

[Madplayer]

i thought they said the cake was for asad cuz he broke the all-time record for most Test centuries from number six!!!

Didnt look good no matter what the reason. They had lost a game.

 

[Square Drive]

Manzoor or Shehzad?

Thanks for your input, Mohsin.

 

[pakistani pride]

Too much being made out of this 100 by shafiq. Whn he came in to bat the match was gone. Most part of his innings there was no real pressure. He had to play such a knock in 1st innings.

How many of those record breaking 100s have resulted in test wins for pak?

He was badly exposed 1 down and thaat resulting putting a young guy like baber at 3 in nz and aus.

Asad Shafiq is very timid and such players cant carry a team forward.

 

[Hawkeye]

Agree with the title,

however,

Mohsin mentioning Shehzad and Khurram shows how much of a clueless angry ex player he is!

 

[Pete Rose]

I think the big sin here are the pictures.
But you have to be objective - this opening test is the most respectable loss pakistan has had in Australia over the last 20 years. Typically any sort of a fight back for Pakistan, in the past used to be bowling lead: like triggering a collapse in the opposition in their second innings and then chasing something like 300 runs only to lose badly as their own batting collapses the second time in the test match. In Australia Pakistan's batting has never come to the fore even in a losing cause.
so, objectively pakistan have every reason to feel confident despite what happened in the first match. Ultimately all this hand wringing and protestations will matter little if pakistan win the second test match. Then we will have reams of perspective here and by the same experts on how Pakistans to victory was actually charged in their first test match loss.
People who have issues with Pakistans approach overconfidence derived from a loss need to think back to past Australian tours where Pakistani captains walk out to press conference completely shattered after a whipping in the first test: exhorting fake bravado, and talking about playing aggressive cricket.
If Pakistan finds confidence because of the first test (and they rightly should, objectively) I see no harm in that.