The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : ‘Pakistan can carry T20 form to Tests’

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‘Pakistan can carry T20 form to Tests’

— Photo: AP

Battle ready: South African captain Graeme Smith arrives at the Karachi airport. South Africa will play two Tests and five ODIs.

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said on Wednesday that his young team can transform its Twenty20 form into success in the forthcoming Test series against South Africa.

“We have performed very well and since the boys are in good form I am confident that we will carry this form into our Test series against South Africa,” Malik told reporters on his return from Johannesburg.

South Africa arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a month-long tour that includes two Tests and five-one day internationals. The first Test starts in Karachi on Monday.

Strict security

Malik arrived on the same flight as Graeme Smith’s South African squad. The Proteas were welcomed by strict security after doubts were raised over their tour due to unstable conditions in Pakistan.

The 25-year-old said it would be a challenge to face the South Africans.

“South Africa is a very good team so we have to be at our best. But I am confident that we have some good players who can transform their Twenty20 form into Test cricket,” said Malik.

This will be Malik’s first Test series as skipper since he was handed the job in the wake of Pakistan’s first-round exit from the World Cup in the West Indies in March.

Malik denied that Pakistan missed senior players such as Inzamam and Yousuf in the Twenty20. Pakistan is likely to be without two of its senior most players — Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Yousuf — in the first Test.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday said Shoaib would not be considered for selection until a disciplinary committee completes its investigations into his spat with teammate, Mohammad Asif.

To compound matters, even Yousuf is unlikely to meet PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf on Thursday to discuss the issue of him joining the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

“Ashraf is in South Africa and even if he returns by Wednesday he will now meet with Yousuf on Thursday. The other problem is Yousuf has not played any cricket or trained for the past one month as he was away on a religious congregation in the northern areas of Pakistan,” one board official said.

“So even if the discussions are successful and Ashraf manages to persuade Yousuf to drop his ICL contract and play for Pakistan, it is unlikely the selectors will rush him back into the side by the first Test against South Africa.”

The itinerary: Sept 27: Three-day match in Karachi; Oct 1-5: 1st Test in Karachi; Oct 8-12: 2nd Test in Lahore; Oct 18: 1st one-day international in Lahore; Oct 20: 2nd one-day international in Lahore; Oct 23: 3rd one-day international in Faisalabad; Oct 26: 4th one-day international in Multan; Oct 29: 5th one-day international in Karachi — Agencies