Pakistan need to stick to the basics, says Mushtaq

Sharjah - Broad cautions teammates by stating patience is the key

Stick to the basics is Mushtaq Ahmed's advice to the Pakistan cricket team after they were humbled for a paltry 234 on the first day of the third Test at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
"The most important thing is to stick to the basics. You don't chase the game, not yet," said the spin bowling coach of the Pakistan team while addressing the media at the end of the day's play.
Mushtaq who has 185 Test wickets in his account was not willing to throw in the towel. "The team has almost got 240 runs on the board and now our players have to try and protect those runs and try and get the England batsmen out within that score. If they can do that then the game is very much on."
Considered one of the best three leg-spinners during his peak, Mushtaq, who also was the bowling coach of the England team until recently, was full of praise for Jimmy (Anderson) and Stuart (Broad). Together they claimed six wickets.
"I must say that Jimmy and Broady did very well. But at some stage I thought we (Pakistan) made a few wrong decisions while batting that cost us but sometimes when you are doing so well the batsmen need to see the situation and adapt accordingly.
"Misbah is a very smart player in such situations. He understands the conditions and situations very well. Test cricket is all about awareness of the game and he has a lot of it, about which bowler he has to play in which condition.
"He knows which player to attack and against which player he needs to play the sweep shot, he doesn't mix his shots and that is smart cricket and that is why he is getting runs and that is why he is successful as a batsman," Mushtaq said.
Meanwhile, England have every reason to feel elated with their performance on Day 1 of the third Test against Pakistan as their bowlers skittled their 'hosts' for just 234 to have a chance of levelling the series.
However, Stuart Broad cautioned his team by stating "patience is the need of the hour". Addressing the media at the end of the day's play the right arm speedster, who bagged two wickets, said: "It is a patience game. When the ball is not seaming or swinging your job as a seamer is to create pressure.
"We had talked before we went out there today (Sunday) that is we can bowl more maidens we would be able to create more pressure on the Pakistani batsmen.
"And if you can get two wickets quickly you really are in the game. So that was our aim from ball one to try and bowl as many maidens as possible.
"We almost went back a bit to the traditional English line of around the off stump. I think that helped us limit which side of the wicket Pakistan can score.
"Any time you get ten wickets in a day of Test cricket you are bound to be delighted. I don't know whether 230 is a good score as it has turned considerably today and the outfield is amazingly slow, but if we have a good day with the bat tomorrow (Monday) we can be in control."
Talking about Ben Stokes who injured his right shoulder and whether he would have any role in the Test, he said: "Stokes is a strong man. If he is in pain then we leave it to him to decide but knowing him he will still have a part to play in the Test."
clareto@khaleejtimes.com