English conditions to favor pace bowlers, Azhar Ali

F.P. Report

LAHORE: Pakistan opener Azhar Ali believes English condition will favor fast-bowlers and his compatriot pacers have the ability to trouble the hosts.

The right-handed opener was talking to media when he said that England will have home advantage but Pakistan are ready for the challenge. “Home side always has an advantage when it comes to playing in certain conditions”, said Azhar, while talking to the reporters here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. “England will come hard at us because they are coming back from losses against New Zealand away from home.

They will try to win their home series. The conditions there will favor fast-bowlers. We have a good bunch. They will trouble the England batsmen.” The 33-year-old, when asked how the Test team will fare in the absence of veterans Misbahul Haq and Younus Khan in England, said youngsters need backing to deliver results. “English conditions would be tough. They will be a challenge for everyone. Even players who have played there need time to adjust in English conditions”, explained Azhar.

He continued by laying down a plan to upstage England on their home turf. “We should back our youngsters who are going on the tour. When you have a new team and you are going on a tough tour, obviously it poses a big challenge, but if we play as a unit, back each other, then we can extract good performances”. When asked if the longest-format team is going to face the same fate as it did against Sri Lanka in the UAE, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat in the two-match series, Azhar said there were a lot of positive in the series too. “There were good signs in the series too”, he said. “Haris Sohail made his debut and scored runs. Asad Shafiq scored a century at the end. All these were positive signs”.