LONDON: Sarfraz Ahmed claimed Yasir Shah’s eight for 41 was the best spell he has seen in Test cricket for many years.
The Pakistan skipper was speaking after another Yasir masterclass — six for 143 spun the hosts to an innings and 16-run win over New Zealand in Dubai. The win levels the series at 1-1 and sets up a do-or-die encounter in Abu Dhabi next week.
It was Yasir’s magic in the Black Caps’ first innings that ensured victory and Sarfraz waxed lyrical about what he saw once victory was confirmed.
“Yasir’s spell was the best that I have ever seen in my years of Test cricket,” the captain said.
Yasir’s match haul of 14 for 184 was the second best by a Pakistani in Test cricket and Sarfraz’s praise was backed up by Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur.
“We knew he had a big performance inside of him,” said Arthur of Yasir, who now has 195 wickets in 32 Tests.
“That first innings, I think there was a spell of about half an hour of the best leg-spin bowling you will ever see. Fourteen wickets in a Test match is superb.”
With his extraordinary performance, Yasir is in sight of breaking Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett’s 93-year-old record of being fastest to 200 wickets in 36 Tests.
“Yasir is very comfortable mentally, and he knows what an important cog he is in our Test line up,” Arthur said. “He got his rhythm going and we felt he was really good.”
While the coach and captain were gushing in their praise for the star spinner, Sarfraz hailed the entire team for the way they fought back after a humiliating defeat in the first Test.
“The chat was that when we leave Abu Dhabi, we have to leave the mistakes made behind,” he said.
“The responsibility was first with the batsmen to make some runs, and they delivered. Credit must go to Yasir, and the support that Hasan and the other bowlers, for how they bowled.”
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was left to rue a big defeat and told his team they had to learn the lessons of Dubai.
“(Yasir) is an exceptional bowler, and it’s important we learn some lessons quickly because we will face all the bowlers again. 1-1 decider back in Abu Dhabi, important to do that,” he said.
Yasir Shah’s spell ‘one of the best ever’ claims victorious Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed
Yasir Shah’s spell ‘one of the best ever’ claims victorious Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed
- Yasir Shah has chacne to become quickest bowler to 200 Test wickets.
- Mickey Arthur says Yasir's bowling was 'some of the best leg spin you'll ever see'.
Morocco part company with coach Regragui as World Cup looms
RABAT: Morocco parted company with coach Walid Regragui on Thursday, three months before the World Cup, with the country’s football federation naming Mohamed Ouahbi as his replacement.
Regragui leaves despite having led the Atlas Lions to the World Cup semifinals in 2022 and to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations at the beginning of this year.
“I leave my post with loyalty, gratitude, and the certainty that I have served my country,” he declared during a ceremony broadcast live on television, confirming weeks of persistent rumors that he was on his way out.
Ouahbi, 49, is promoted to the role having overseen Morocco’s triumph at the Under-20 World Cup in October, with the federation describing the move as “a strategic transition” in the run-up to the World Cup in North America in June and July.
“It’s a desire not to waste time and to take a different direction,” a source close to the Moroccan Federation told AFP.
“By appointing Mohamed Ouahbi and welcoming top-tier reinforcements, we are raising our standards and our demands,” the source said.
Morocco will be in Group C at the World Cup along with five-time winners Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
They begin their campaign against Brazil at the MetLife Stadium just outside New York City on June 13 and will be hoping to make a big impression at the tournament before co-hosting the 2030 edition with Spain and Portugal.
“Our ambition is to consolidate our place among the best nations in a sustainable way and to perform well from this summer, as well as in 2030,” the leader of the Moroccan federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, said recently.
Regragui was hailed in 2022 after Morocco became the first African nation in World Cup history to reach the semifinals, beating Spain and Portugal along the way.
However, Regragui likely paid the ultimate price for the manner in which Morocco lost the recent AFCON final to Senegal.
His team were beaten 1-0 after extra-time at the end of a match marred by the Senegal team’s decision to walk off the pitch in protest at the award of a controversial late penalty to the hosts.
The penalty award with the game goalless sparked trouble in the crowd involving Senegal fans, 18 of whom were jailed following the disruption.
Real Madrid star Brahim Diaz eventually took the penalty after a long delay but his kick was saved and Senegal went on to win the game.
