RAWALPINDI: Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq doesn’t want his team to get complacent ahead of this week’s second test match against South Africa.
The home side fought back from 27-4 in its first innings at Karachi to beat the Proteas by seven wickets and take a 1-0 lead the two-match series. The second test starts at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Yasir Shah and 34-year-old left-arm spinner Nauman Ali, playing in his first test match, shared 14 wickets between them against a struggling South Africa batting line-up.
“It was a much-needed victory,” Misbah said. “The team came back from a difficult position, but we don’t want to be complacent. South Africa is a tough team and we know they will come back hard at us.”
Since taking over as head coach in 2019, Misbah has lost three away test series — against Australia, England and New Zealand — but his Pakistan side has beaten less formidable teams like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at home.
Misbah and bowling coach Waqar Younis were summoned by the Pakistan Cricket Board after the team lost a test series 2-0 in New Zealand last month. Both coaches were given another chance, but their longer-term futures were tied to the outcome of the current home series against South Africa.
“My focus is on this series,” Misbah said. “We will put all our energies in this test match and see how we can win. Other things are uncontrollable and there is no point in thinking about it.”
Middle-order batsman Fawad Alam’s dream return to test cricket played a key role in Pakistan putting up a formidable total of 378 in the first innings after South Africa was bowled out for 220 inside two sessions on the first day.
Left-handed Alam, playing in only his eighth test match in 11 years, made a gritty 109 and revived Pakistan after a top-order collapse with Faheem Ashraf and Azhar Ali also scoring useful half centuries.
But the conditions in Rawalpindi will be much cooler than they were in Karachi and Misbah said the team may change its bowling lineup to include four fast bowlers and only one spinner.
The dry pitch in Karachi gave the two Pakistan spinners plenty of assistance, but Misbah was not sure if he could get a similar type of wicket and conditions in Rawalpindi.
If Pakistan opts for a fourth fast bowler, Haris Rauf is a possible option to make his test debut in his hometown.
“Haris is bowling well with the old ball,” Misbah said. “If the need arise we will see him.”
Pakistan coach warns against complacency in 2nd test vs South Africa
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Pakistan coach warns against complacency in 2nd test vs South Africa
- Home side fought back from 27-4 in its first innings at Karachi to beat the Proteas and take a 1-0 lead the two-match series
- Since taking over as head coach in 2019, Misbah has lost three away test series against Australia, England and New Zealand
Curfew extended in Gilgit-Baltistan, probe ordered after deadly Khamenei protests
- At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Government also announces a de-weaponization campaign, crackdown on hate speech and cybercrime in region
ISLAMABAD: The government in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region on Tuesday extended a curfew in Gilgit district and ordered a judicial probe into violent protests over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes last week, an official said.
At least 15 people were killed in clashes with law enforcement agencies over the weekend in GB, where protesters torched and vandalized several buildings, including United Nations regional offices, an army-run school, software technology park and a local charity building.
The violence prompted regional authorities to impose curfew in Gilgit and Skardu districts on March 2-4 as officials urged people to stay indoors and cooperate with law enforcers, amid widespread anger in Pakistan, particularly among members of the Shiite minority, over Khamenei’s killing.
On Tuesday, the GB government convened to review the situation and announced the extension of curfew in Gilgit among a number of security measures as well as ordered the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the weekend violence in the region.
“The government has made it clear that the law will strictly take its course against elements involved in vandalism at government institutions, private properties and incidents of vandalism in Gilgit and Skardu and no kind of mischief will be tolerated,” Shabbir Mir, a GB government spokesperson, said in a statement.
“In view of the security situation, curfew will remain in force in Gilgit, while the decision to extend the curfew in Skardu will be taken keeping the ground realities and the changing situation in view.”
The statement did not specify how long the curfew will remain in place in Gilgit.
Besides the formation of the judicial commission to investigate the violent clashes, the government also decided to launch a large-scale de-weaponization campaign in the entire Gilgit district, for which relevant institutions have been directed to immediately complete all necessary arrangements, according to Mir.
In addition, a crackdown has been ordered on hate speech, spread of fake news and cybercrime.
“The aim of these decisions is to ensure the rule of law, protect the lives and property of citizens and crack down on miscreants,” he said. “Approval has also been given to immediately survey the affected infrastructure and start their restoration work on priority basis.”
Demonstrators in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi also stormed the US Consulate on Sunday, smashing windows and attempting to burn the building. Police responded with batons, tear gas, and gunfire, leaving 10 people dead and more than 50 injured.
Pakistani authorities have since beefed up security at US diplomatic missions across the country, including around the US consulate building in Peshawar, to avoid any further violence.
