Daijiworld Media Network
Abu Dhabi, Jan 28: Questions will be asked about the ability of this English team against spin. They have been rolled out four times against quality spin and have found no answers as yet. With tours of Sri Lanka and India coming up, they need to buckle up or get ready to face more trouble.
An absolute hammering for the world no. 1 team. They have come crashing down to earth and it is the talented Pakistan team that have felled them down. It is fair to say that they have been spun out by Ajmal, Rehman and Hafeez. It looked like an easy chase but they have been bundled out for less then half the target. Pakistan have a versatile bowling line-up, but it is the spinners who have caused the most damage taking 19 wickets in the match. Ajmal was expected to be the danger man in the 2nd innings but Rehman suprised one and all with figures of 6/25 to bowl out the visitors. These are the best figures on this ground which has also witnessed its first ever result in a test match.
The celebrations of the Pakistan camp needs special mention. The support staff and the subs ran out as soon as Gul completed the catch. Gul himself was over the moon, the entire team ran across to their smiling skipper. They played outstanding cricket and deserved all the kudos. Sombre faces in the English camp, they will realise that they were well below their best.
Misbah-ul-Haq: It was a much needed victory for us, wonderful team effort. We have achieved what we had set for at the start of the series. We were 50-60 short in the first innings but Azhar and Shafiq batted very well in the 2nd innings to set it up for the spinners. They bowled superbly to help us win. The important thing is to do well under pressure and both young boys did very well. I knew we had a chance with 140 on the board. We play spin well but still struggled. The spin was not consistent and it was really challenging playing on this surface. We will look to do well in Dubai. I would like to thank the crowd for the support that we got. It has been great.
Strauss: A lot of people in the dressing room are feeling down, but full credit to Pakistan. I do not know how to explain the collapse, they bowled well and we did not get all our options right. It was a great Test wicket that had something for both the bowlers and the batsmen, but they bowled really well. I do not think we got it right in the chase, there were some outstanding performances from our side. Monty, Cook, Trott played really well. It is a challenge to play with the DRS in place. The top-order needs to do well in the next match. We need to comeback strongly.
Abdur Rehman is the MoM for his outstanding bowling
Rehman: This has been the highlight of my career. This is the 1st time I have got a 5-wkt haul. We felt that if we could get 150 and bowl well, we would win. Ajmal is the no.1 bowler in the world and it gives me great confidence to bowl with him.
When they were No. 1, India were laughed over at their inability to win abroad in conditions totally alien to them. Will England face the same pressing questions? Only time will tell.