Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq said his side is desperate to redress the balance in a Twenty20 international against England Thursday after a one-day series whitewash by the tourists. Pakistan were Tuesday routed 4-0 by England, who showed a big improvement from their 3-0 defeat in the preceding three-Test series.
Misbah wants his side to regain the upper hand, but also wants to use the match as a stepping stone towards the World Twenty20 series later this year.
“This is a very important series for us, more so because we won the Tests, they won the ODIs and now it’s almost the decider,” said Misbah. “And if you consider that this is World Twenty20 year, it’s very important for us to come back.” England will defend the title they won in the West Indies in 2010 when Sri Lanka host the fourth edition of the World Twenty20.
“I think we need to learn from England on how they transformed their fortunes in ODIs, and I am confident that my boys can do that,” added Misbah.
“I don’t think we were dispirited, because the team wants a win desparately and that’s why we were like that. Everybody was trying to give one hundred percent and when it slips out of your hand it seems you are disjointed.”
Pakistan will ring some changes, with experienced batsman Younis Khan and Azhar Ali returning home while dashing uncapped left-handed opener Awais Zia joins the Twenty20 squad. England have retained Alastair Cook, originally not named in the Twenty20 squad, after he showed great form in scoring back-to-back hundreds in the first two one-day matches. England paceman Stuart Broad meanwhile said his side would be using every opportunity possible to help prepare them for the defence of their World Twenty20 title. “Of course, we need to make use of every game we have because there isn’t many leading to the World Twenty20. And that being in the sub-continent we need to really make use of these conditions,” said Broad. “It makes these games pretty important. We are not looking to these matches as a warm-up, we are looking to win this series and that is what we will be focusing on,” added Broad. “Cookie is keen to play Twenty20 cricket. He has made that pretty obvious. He has been kept on in the squad because obviously we have got some injury concerns in the squad,” said Broad of Cook, retained as cover-up for injured Ravi Bopara.
