Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali has emphasized the importance of winning matches in home conditions which will help them to play well in away conditions.
Pakistan is scheduled to play Test series in England and New Zealand this year and the matches are part of the ICC Test Championship which according to Azhar will be quite tough in order to play the final.
“Every test match is important for Test championship and especially home Tests hold more significance in a sense that offers a lot of confidence and a chance to earn more points,” Azhar said in a post-match press conference.
“We will able to play final when we will defeat England and New Zealand on their home grounds and if we lost, it will be quite tough to play the final,” he added.
Azhar accepted that they were worried after the senior pace bowling duo of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz decided to stay away from Test cricket.
“Yes we all were worried along with fans when they (Amir and Wahab) decided to quit Tests but I previously said too that such things open opportunities for other players and we now have Shaheen and Naseem Shah and they are doing very well in Tests,” he maintained.
The 34-year-old backed leg-spinner Yasir Shah who has not been at the top of his form lately and wants critics to give him some time.
“People are expecting from Yasir a lot but we have to understand that his role has changed. Playing in Pakistan is different because the pitches here tend to turn after three days or so as compared to UAE which offers more turn,” he added.
He said that people don’t know how difficult is to score runs in UAE. He praised the quality of Pakistan batsmen and reminded that on away tours too, they are batting well as compared to past.
“Scoring runs in Pakistan is different as compared to UAE, The pitches, the outfield is different, the run-rate per over is at the higher side compare to UAE where captains can bowl according to plan and restrict the opposition,” he said.
“The countries playing in their home conditions score big as compare to away. Pakistan batting has scored reasonably well on away series as compared to the previous batters,” he concluded.
It must be noted that Pakistan convincingly defeated the visitors by an innings and 44-runs on the fourth day of the first Test in Pindi cricket stadium.
