https://arab.news/bpqeu
- Azam says the team will focus on how to win against New Zealand and have a good start of the Test series
- New Zealand captain Tim Southee maintains Pakistan will try to bounce back after losing the England series at home
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam denied on Sunday the national cricket team was under any pressure after some major changes were made at the country’s top governing body of the sport which created widespread perception of anxiety among players who did not perform well during a recent Test series against England.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif constituted a 14-member interim management committee to supervise the affairs of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last week while ending the previous setup headed by former cricketer Ramiz Raja.
The changes were made days ahead of Pakistan’s Test series with New Zealand which is scheduled to begin in Karachi from Monday.
“Our focus is on how to win the match, make a good start of the series and perform better in all three departments [of the game],” the Pakistan captain said during a media interaction while pointing out that players were only going to focus on the game in the field.
“When you feel under pressure, your performance deteriorates,” he continued.
Azam acknowledged that Pakistan could not perform well against England “due to minor mistakes,” though he added the team would do its best during the upcoming series with New Zealand.
He also thought that the “wicket looked good” while cautioning reporters that field conditions changed during Test matches on a daily basis.
“Batting will be Pakistan’s strength against New Zealand,” he said. “Our bowlers will also make a comeback, though some of them are still suffering from injuries.”
Meanwhile, the captain of the visiting team, Tim Southee, said the Black Caps would not replicate England and bring their own strategy to the series.
“We are very excited to be here [in Pakistan],” he said. “None of us has played Test cricket here as a side since 2003. So, that’s what the guys are really looking forward to. So far, we have enjoyed our time here.”
The New Zealand captain maintained his team expected Pakistan to do their best to bounce back after losing the series to England at home.