Misbah blames mediocre batting for Zimbabwe Test debacle

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq has warned his team`s batsmen that they cannot win Test matches with `twenties and thirties` following Pakistan`s humiliating Test loss against Zimbabwe.

Karachi: Pakistan Test and ODI captain Misbah-ul Haq has warned his team`s batsmen that they cannot win Test matches with `twenties and thirties` following Pakistan`s humiliating Test loss against Zimbabwe on Saturday.

Despite being inexperienced, Zimbabwe fast bowler Tendai Chatara took the wickets of five batsmen on the final day of the second Test at the Harare Sports Club which led Zimbabwe to a dramatic 24-run win to level the series. According to a daily, with the series against number one Test nation South Africa fast approaching, Misbah, who made an unbeaten 79 in the Test, advised batsmen to learn from their mistakes and rise above mediocre batting, saying that they need to score big runs like veteran Younis Khan did in the first Test. The report mentioned that Younis scored the only century of the series, an unbeaten 200 in the first Test, which Pakistan won by 221 runs at the same venue, although the rest of the batting failed against the spirited Zimbabwean attack in the second Test. Praising Zimbabwe, Misbah said that the African nation deserved the victory as they were positive since the start of the game and managed to keep Pakistan under pressure throughout the Test. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor also hailed his team, especially his bowlers, saying that it takes a lot of character to come back from a big loss and beat a world-class team, adding that despite the lack of a bowling coach, the bowlers performed considerably well. ANI