We need to be mentally strong: Misbah
abu dhabi — Pakistan did all the hard work and were on the verge of winning the fourth one-dayer but a dramatic collapse towards saw them not only lose the match but the one-day series as well against South Africa in the UAE.
Misbah-ul-Haq, who hit a 76ball 65, had the situation under control till the start of the 47th over but a fiery spell from Dale Steyn upset his calculations in a matter of few deliveries.
With the first ball itself, Steyn sent back Umar Akmal, who attempted a huge heave over midwicket but got a leading edge, grabbed by Morne Morkel at the third man boundary. Three balls later a well set Misbah too fell, dashing the hopes of fans who turned in large numbers at the stadium to support the team.
“We were very much under control till the 45th over. It was very much gettable. 41 runs from 30 balls with five wickets in hand and
Misbah-ul-Haq
two set batsmen at the crease but two overs changed the game — one over with one run only and the next over we lost three wickets. That was the turning point,” a dejected Mishbah told reporters after the match.
“We need to be mentally strong, need to be calm because in such situations an over can change the game and that’s what happened,” he said.
The skipper termed a narrow one-run defeat in the first game as the turning point of the series.
“The turning point was the first game, had we won that the result would have been different,” said Misbah of the match in Sharjah when Pakistan failed to chase a modest 184-run target.
“As a captain it’s not being under pressure, it’s disappointment that we cannot handle the pressure.”
Despite losing the series in the UAE, Misbah is confident of putting up a good performance when his team tour South Africa later this month.
“We already played really well against them in South Africa this year and at one time during the series we were two-all and lost the final game. So this team can really put top sides under pressure. The only thing we lack is experience. We need to learn quickly. These guys need to learn how to handle pressure,” he said.
Pakistan are set to play three one-dayers and two Twenty20s in South Africa this month.
While talking about the performance of his star spinner Saeed Ajmal, who went for 0-53 in 10 overs, Misbah said: “They played him well and only in the last over he was smashed for some runs; otherwise he did well. He hasn’t picked any wicket but still I think he was doing okay at that stage. But South Africans played him well.”