Pakistan v England, 2nd Test, Abu Dhabi, 3rd day |
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Cricket For All
Azhar and Shafiq fight but England hold edge
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For the first time in their notional home series, Pakistan had a crowd to strengthen their resolve. They came in their thousands after Friday prayers and sat on the grassy banks at the Sheikh Zayed stadium. What they witnessed was Test cricket at its most attritional but they also witnessed a clue to Pakistan's batting future.
Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq came together at 54 for 4 with Pakistan still 16 runs in arrears and England's bowlers coming to terms with the rigours of playing Test cricket in Asia. It is a rare sight to see England with two spinners bowling to an attacking ring. With Pakistan faltering, they were even beginning to think they might like it.
This time Azhar and Shafiq did not have Misbah-ul-Haq at the non-striker's end learnedly chiding them to be patient but they were patient all the same. They ground out 71 at barely two an over and when the third day closed they had drawn the fire from England's attack. Shafiq treated Pakistan's supporters to two successive boundaries off Monty Panesar, Azhar offered a couple of serene drives and a skip down the pitch to loft Graeme Swann over long-on but it was stern-minded stuff.
Their response was essential. Much was made of England's flimsy top-order batting during their 10-wic
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Welcome to Rashid Latif
Cricket Academy |
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A message from the rashid latif
After having spent a lifetime pursing excellence in the game of cricket, one of
my cherished goals has been the setting up an apt cricket academy devoted to
developing young cricketers with future for Pakistan.
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