Karachi, Sept. 30 (ANI): Pakistan chief selector Iqbal Qasim has lauded Pakistan's lower-order batting for reclaiming the team's pride with a two-wicket victory over South Africa in the Super-Eight match at the World Twenty20 on Friday.
"This victory is a great achievement which was made possible owing to some awesome batting by Umar Gul and Umar Akmal who were struggling in the preliminary group matches," the Daily Times quoted Iqbal, as saying.
"It is a big win against South Africa, world's top-ranked and most dangerous team. At one stage when Pakistan were 76-7 in the 15th over, things looked quite gloomy. But then Gul's lusty hitting coupled with Akmal's solid batting display took the team to a grand victory," he added.
"The win will boost the confidence of the whole team and particularly that of Gul and Akmal," he said.
Iqbal further said it was great to see the Pakistan spin quartet of Raza Hasan, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahid Afridi and pacer Yasir Arafat playing their respective roles in restricting a powerful-looking Proteas' batting to a modest 133-6.
"It is really good to see our spinners dominating world's top batsmen. I think in-form batsmen Imran Nazir, Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed put the team under pressure with some unnecessarily adventurous batting," he said, referring to the rash strokes that led to their dismissal leaving the team under pressure.
However, Iqbal said it was part and parcel of the game and hoped that the three top-order batsmen would learn from their mistakes and make amends in the coming matches against India and Australia. (ANI)
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