LONDON: Pakistan coach Misbah-ul Haq exuded confidence that his side could recover from a painful defeat and look for win in the second Test that starts at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Thursday.
“We need to improve 10 to 15 percent and deal with pressure situations a little better but we shouldn’t be mentally down,” Misbah said as Pakistan hope to level the series.
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali, criticised for his tactics during Buttler and Woakes’ decisive stand, has made just one fifty in 10 innings since becoming skipper in November.
But he denied captaincy was affecting his batting.
“When I bat, I’m not thinking about the captaincy, whether or not I’m out of form.
“And when I’m captain, I don’t think about my batting at all.”
Should Pakistan have concerns about the fitness of their pace trio of Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, they could bring in another quick such as Sohail Khan.
Pakistan played two leg-spinners at Old Trafford, with Shadab Khan backing up Yasir Shah, but they could now deploy a fourth seamer if they feel the Ageas Bowl pitch won’t take as much turn.
“We controlled most of the sessions until the last one. You could say one session in our second innings had a big say and then obviously the partnership of Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler. They counter-attacked well and there was a bit of inexperience – and even panic – in the team that cost us,” said Misbah.
