He is not happy with his side’s defeat in the first match against New Zealand today, but Pakistan skipper Mohammed Yousuf says such close games are a good advertisement for Test cricket.
In an exciting climax to the series opener, Pakistan lost to the hosts by 32 runs in the last session of the game.
“Such close matches are good for Test cricket and the pitch in Dunedin was a good track, supporting both bowlers and the batsmen. You need a little variable bounce on the final day to get a result,” he said.
Yousuf, who is leading the team after Younus Khan pulled out of the tour, says had their bowlers done well on the first day, the result could have been different.
“It was not easy batting conditions on the first day but we let them score too many runs and we had some expensive fielding lapses,” he said.
Yousuf also said that inexperienced batting line up was also unable to handle the pressure.
“The batting was a bit inexperienced and we didn’t get as many runs in both the innings as we should have. I think the senior and junior players have to come forward and do their bit,” he added.
The selectors have sent Misbah-ul-Haq to New Zealand on Yousuf’s request but the Pakistan captain said a decision on whether Misbah would play at Wellington, venue for the second Test, would be taken soon.
“Right now we have not made up our minds on whether to play him. Let him join us and we will see how it goes in the nets,” Yousuf said.
Yousuf was all praise for the Kiwi paceman Shane Bond who took eight wickets and in the match said his five wickets in the Pakistan first innings was the turning point of the tie.
Yousuf said young Umar Akmal who scored a century and 75 on his Test debut had a bright future ahead of him.
“He plays well under pressure and I thought his innings today was better than his hundred in the first innings. He will hopefully be around for Pakistan for a long time,” Yousuf said.
The Pakistan captain said his bowlers were capable of taking 20 wickets in a Test but the batsmen need to apply themselves more.
“We can comeback in the series,” he said.
