Zaheer Abbas slams poor Pak batting show in ODI series against Proteas

Islamabad: Former Pakistani Test batsman Zaheer Abbas has slammed the team’s repeated poor batting performance although he hailed the bowlers for steering Pakistan to an emphatic victory in the second ODI over South Africa in Dubai on Friday.

After losing the first one-dayer by solitary-run at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Pakistan hammered South Africa by 66 runs in the second match to level the 5-match ODI series one-all in absence of Proteas` top batsmen Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis. According to the Daily Times, Abbas came down hard on the batsmen, saying that they are still continuing to make mistakes and have not yet learned that consistency is the key to success particularly in the batting department, adding that Pakistan cannot afford to repeat these mistakes and must try to strengthen their bench. Abbas said that he was shocked to see Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shahzad, Hafeez, captain Misbah-ul Haq, Umar Amin and Umar Akmal lose their wickets just as they had settled down in the game, adding that the team should think of inducting in-form Asad Shafiq, who had done well in the Test series against South Africa. Abbas also warned the Pakistan team of backlash from the South African team and the return of Hashim Amla and Dale Steyn in third ODI in Abu Dhabi, although he hailed the bowlers, saying that they bowled brilliantly and smartly to keep their pressure on South African batsmen. Zaheer further said that he was impressed that Pakistan had won despite being under intense psychological pressure after having lost the opening ODI.