Former Pakistan captain Rameez Raja hailed Pakistan’s team spirit after they beat England in the second Test to clinch the three-match series.
“It is only because of the happy environment that Pakistan went out there believing they could win and they floored the best team in the world. It was an outstanding performance.”
Misbah-ul-Haq’s charges bowled the visitors out for 72 in their second innings, with spinner Abdur Rehman taking 6-25 in a stunning 10.1 over spell. Pakistan cricket was rocked by a spot-fixing scandal during their 2010 tour of England which led to Salman Butt, Mohammad Asifand Mohammad Amir being imprisoned.
Raja reckons the squad have recovered from that dark episode and reckons that was evident by the way they blew away Andrew Strauss’ men in Abu Dhabi.
“Pakistan learnt a lesson from that 2010 controversy and I think the players took it upon themselves to redeem the country’s image,” Sky Sports quoted the former Pakistan batsman as saying.
“The only way out for Pakistan was to win every match and that got them focussed.
“Cricket is a great bonder and this team has been very special in the last 12 months or so. They’ve been consistent with the selection process, the dressing room is a happy place and there are no politics.
“It is only because of the happy environment that the team went out there believing they could win and they floored the best team in the world. It was an outstanding performance.”
Batsman Misbah was instilled as Pakistan captain before the side’s Test series with South Africa in the autumn of 2010.
Raja believes the 37-year-old has played a crucial role in knitting the team together since then, while he also praised the way Misbah utilised his talented arsenal of spinners in Abu Dhabi.
“The captaincy has made a big difference,” added Raja.
“Misbah-ul-Haq has led them very calmly and the boys have responded splendidly. He may come across as a flamboyant captain but he gets the job done.
Raja continued: “Playing three spinners (Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez) can be a defensive approach but he turned it into an attacking one because he used them beautifully.
“Saeed Ajmal is a difficult bowler to handle because unlike Muttiah Muralitharan, who pitched the ball wide to hit the stumps, Ajmal doesn’t do that; he gets an angle by bowling the same way as he bowls his doosra. “Meanwhile, Abdur Rehman has been the silent partner.”