LONDON – Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed wants the sides quartet of seniorplayers to help take the pressure off the rest of the team in the firstTest against England at Lord s.
For at least seven members of the tourists side, Thursday s openingfixture of a two-Test series will be the first time they have played a amatch at the home of cricket .
By contrast, Mohammad Amir — whose career came to a shuddering halt afterhis involvement in a spot-fixing scandal, wicket-keeper Sarfraz and batsmenAzhar Ali and Asad Shafiq have all played at the London headquarters ofMarylebone Cricket Club.
“Yes, the senior players in the team have to show responsibility,” Sarfraztold reporters at Lord s on Wednesday.
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“We have to lead from the front, we have more responsibility to give a goodplatform so that the new players take it from there,” he added.
Pakistan come into this game on the back of a five-wicket win over Testdebutants in Ireland, where the conditions were similar to those they couldface at Lord s if confronted with a typical early-season English pitchoffering seam movement and some overcast skies.
“As a team we have more confidence because that was our first big match,”said Sarfraz.
“The way new players put up a good performance that helped us gainconfidence.”
One of those new players was Test debutant Imam-ul-Haq.
Some pundits attacked the 22-year-old left-hander s inclusion in the toursquad on nepotism grounds given Imam is the nephew of Pakistan selectionchief and former Test batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq.
But Imam has answered his critics with three fifties to date this tour,including a match-clinching 74 not out on the last day against Ireland thatrescued Pakistan from the depths of 14 for three.
“I am very pleased the way he is playing, especially in the second innings(in Dublin),” said Sarfraz.
“It s not easy for a youngster playing his first Test, it was a crucialknock of 74 runs and as a captain I am very confident he will continueperforming well like that.”
Sarfraz said it was important Pakistan treated the match like any other anddid not play the likes of England stalwarts Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad andJames Anderson on their reputations.
“They (England) have experienced players but I have told my players not toget worried about that,” he explained. “Take it as a domestic match, theway you have got into the team after performing well in domestic matches,play without fear and play your best game.
“The worse will be that we lose this match, but this is a young team, sevenof our players will be playing at Lord s for the first time, so that initself an honour.
“If these youngsters do well here and gain confidence then it will be goodfor their future and for the Pakistan team.”
Sarfraz, a key member of the Pakistan side that drew 2-2 in a four-Testseries in England two years ago, accepted the hosts would be tough to beaton their own soil.
But he also said there was an opportunity for Pakistan given England failedto win any of their seven most recent Tests, in Australia and New Zealand.
“If you see England s last four months they are not good for them,” saidSarfraz.
“They lost the Ashes in Australia and did not have a good time in NewZealand. I think as captain I see England, at the moment, being lessconfident as a team so as a team we will try to take advantage and try toperform well.” – APP/AFP