England batting worries skipper after Pakistan defeat

Younis’ ODI retirement disappoints Khan

ABU DHABI, Nov 12, (Agencies): Captain Eoin Morgan praised rookie paceman Reece Topley but said England needed to take a serious look at their batting after they were thumped by Pakistan to go 1-0 down in the four-match one-day international series.

After England struggled to 216 all out, Pakistan romped to a convincing, sixwicket win in Abu Dhabi in what proved a rousing farewell to Younis Khan, who was playing his last ODI.

Lanky paceman Mohammad Irfan rocked England with a wicket off the second ball of the game before finishing with 3-35 in his 10 overs.

Morgan admitted the batting had let England down after the captain (76) and James Taylor (60) lifted the tourists from 14-3 to 147 before they lost four wickets in the space of 32 balls.

“We were looking at a minimum of 250 but getting there obviously wasn’t easy on this type of wicket. We have to reassess that quickly,” Morgan said.

“Probably after 20 overs, the ball started to hold up and grip more than it did in the previous few overs.”

Pakistan also wobbled at 41-3 before opener Mohammad Hafeez hit a brilliant, match-winning 102 not out to help his team overhaul the target in 43.4 overs.

“I think probably the big positive was having Pakistan at the same position at the halfway mark, and credit to the bowlers to get us in that position,” said Morgan, praising Topley who grabbed 326 in his second ODI.

“He is a big asset for long-term. He is certainly somebody that we are looking at to nurture, particularly with his whiteball skills and he is very good for a 21year-old,” said Morgan.

Meanwhile, the timing of Younis Khan’s retirement from one-day internationals has disappointed Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan.

He says middle-order batsman Younis Khan should have quit after the fourmatch series against England, instead of after the first match on Wednesday.

Younis, picked for his first ODIs since the Cricket World Cup in March, was determined to quit on his own terms and announced his retirement just before the match in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. He scored 9 to finish with 7,249 runs from 265 matches since 2000.

Shaharyar Khan says Younis Khan “should have taken us in confidence, but he didn’t, and that’s why it is disappointing. He could have quit after the series.”

Shaharyar Khan said all the differences over Younis’ selection in the limitedovers squad were sorted out when chief selector Haroon Rashid met with coach Waqar Younis and ODI captain Azhar Ali in Sharjah last week.

Pakistan has dropped Umar Akmal on disciplinary grounds for the three-match Twenty20 series against England in the United Arab Emirates.

Akmal “has brought PCB and Pakistan cricket into disrepute” in Hyderabad, where the middle-order batsman went to play a first-class match this week, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Thursday.

The PCB didn’t elaborate what Akmal did, and chief selector Haroon Rashid said Akmal was issued a show cause notice and dropped on the instructions of the PCB.

Apparently, the PCB took notice of media reports that Akmal was allegedly involved in immoral activities during a party in a house in Hyderabad, where he was accompanied by former Pakistan Under-19 captain Azeem Ghumman. Pakistan’s Muhammed Hafeez in action during the first one day international match against England at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab

Emirates, on Nov 11. (AP)

“In this format, the difference between a big team and a small team reduces by a considerable margin,” he said. “So nothing is granted in this format. We have to be alert.”

Indeed, Zimbabwe was looking to restore some pride.

“It’s a new version,” Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura said. “We can bounce back.”

Zimbabwe recently lost a twomatch T20 series to Afghanistan in its own backyard, but Chigumbura said it was still confident.

“In the last T20 we did well although we lost the game,” he said. “We just have to make sure you go out there and play with freedom.”