ISLAMABAD: Batting legend Javed Miandad has backed the Pakistan cricket team, saying the Green-shirts haven’t lost the series against England yet, and should rectify their mistakes in the games ahead.

“Winning or losing are part of the game. Don’t worry, just rectify the mistakes you have made. Sit together, identify them and don’t repeat them. Players should keep their morale and passion high for the country as the whole nation looks up to them with high hopes,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Javed, who scored 8,832 runs in 124 Tests, said Pakistan had enough runs on the scoreboard to defend.

“PCB Media Director, who is like a brother to me, called me and asked whether I was watching the match. I said yes and told him to deliver a message to Pakistan’s Test team captain Azhar Ali. I advised him to start with spinners and not pacers. Bowl the leg-break with the new ball,” he said.

Javed claimed he has tried this approach in the past. “I have tried this approach when I captained the late legendary spin-wizard Abdul Qadir and the banks. I know the Old Trafford wicket, it gets rough with each passing day,” he said.

“It was a spinning wicket and was difficult as you can’t judge the new ball. Spinners could have taken wickets easily,” he added.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2020