Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah has stated that the team’s spirited performance in the first ODI against Australia has boosted their confidence, which will help them make a strong comeback in the second ODI.
Pakistan lost the first ODI by two wickets at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) after a spirited performance with the ball while defending a modest 203-run total.
The second match of the series will be played on 8 November (tomorrow) in Adelaide, while Perth will host the third ODI on 10 November.
While talking to the media on Thursday in Adelaide, Naseem shared that the team discussed the shortcomings in the last match and will aim to win the second ODI to level the series.
“We have learned a lot from the last game and are working to rectify those lessons in the next game,” said Naseem.
“The entire team sat down and discussed ways to improve for upcoming matches. We analyzed our batting mistakes and aimed to improve them. Our bowling effort was fantastic, and we plan to enhance it further.”
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For the unversed, Naseem Shah was forced to leave the field after two balls into his eighth over due to cramps during the first ODI against Australia in Melbourne.
He spoke about his current fitness level, emphasizing that muscle cramps are a common occurrence that can strike any athlete, regardless of how fit or well-conditioned they may be.
“Alhamdulillah, I am completely fine. Cramps are a common thing; they can happen to anyone, whether a batter or a bowler, regardless of their fitness level,” the fast bowler remarked.
“Cramps can come up at any time, and they take some time to recover from. But now, I have fully recovered.”
Notably, the ODI series will be followed by a three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Auustralia, scheduled to commence on November 14.
Brisbane will host the first T20I, with the next matches scheduled for November 16 and 18 in Sydney and Hobart, respectively.
Pakistan Squad for ODI Series against Australia
Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (vc) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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