Misbah says Test defeat against Zimbabwe does not make Pak `poor team`

Karachi: Pakistan Test and ODI captain Misbah-ul Haq has backed his team, saying that their Test defeat against Zimbabwe at Harare does not make them a poor side.

Pakistan, which is scheduled to play a two-day practice game against the UAE on Wednesday, held an extensive training session ahead of the series against South Africa, which included physical training besides bowling, batting and fielding practice. According to the Express Tribune, Misbah insisted that his team is confident of putting on a good show against the world`s best Test side despite a shocking end to the Zimbabwean tour, saying that the fact that they lost in the second Test against Zimbabwe does not mean that they are a poor team. Stating that winning and losing are all part of the game, Misbah also said that they just need to focus on the upcoming games and forget about their past disappointments, adding that the current team is the same side that defeated the then-number one Test team England 3-0 in 2012. Misbah further said that they are capable of performing that feat again, although he hoped that the team would perform up to expectations and overcome the fragility of the batting department.