LONDON – Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed believes his side can hit evengreater heights against England in the second Test at Headingley despite anine-wicket win in the series opener at Lord s.
Victory, completed inside four days at the home of cricket, put Pakistan1-0 up with one to play and on the verge of a first series win in Englandsince fast bowling greats Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis starred in a 1996success.
Pakistan were widely acknowledged to have outplayed England in alldepartments at Lord s in the first Test of the current campaign butwicket-keeper Sarfraz has urged them not to rest their laurels.
“We need to keep improving all the time,” Sarfraz said Wednesday. “As wellas we played at Lord s, we can still play better than that.
“We made four 50s at Lord s — and if one of them had gone on to the bighundred that would ve been even better. (Same with the bowlers) if theytake three or four wickets, make it five or six.”
Sarfraz is well aware of what it would mean to emulate Pakistan s serieswin in England 22 years ago.
“If we do win this, it will be a series we ll never forget,” he added.
“The last time we won a series in England was in 1996, when Wasim and Waqarwere around, and we drew at Leeds then,” he added.
Sarfraz, however, urged his players to consign their Lord s success to thehistory books.
“We have to forget Lord s and move on to this now,” he said. “If we want tomove ahead as a team we have to forget our wins.
“We did well, we enjoyed it for two days, but now we re here,” Sarfrazadded. “If we are to move up in the rankings we need to forget our wins andkeep moving on.”
Pakistan are set to include Usman Salahuddin, rather than fellow uncappedbatsman Fakhar Zaman, as a replacement for the injured Babar Azam.
It was a surprising decision in some eyes, given Fakhar hit a brilliantmatch-winning hundred against arch-rivals India in last year s ChampionsTrophy final at The Oval.
But Sarfraz said: “It wasn t close…we ve seen Usman as a better option.
“Usman has been with us for the last three tours.
“He s worked very hard and he s been doing well.
“He played well in the two-day game against Leicestershire. That s why werecommended him, and that s why he s playing tomorrow.” – APP/AFP