Yasir Shah, Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan vs Australia 2018
Yasir Shah. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed expects Yasir Shah to be pack leader of his bowling attack. The upcoming two-match Test series will begin tomorrow from 7th October. As the series is going to be played in the UAE, spinners from both the sides will have a pivotal role to play in the success of their respective teams. Thus, the onus is going to be on the experienced leg-spinner, Yasir Shah.

Sarfraz Ahmed said that they had played some attacking cricket when they had locked horns against Australia in 2014. Meanwhile, Yasir Shah has scalped 165 wickets in the 28 Test matches. Thus, the 32-year old spinner has done a fine job for the Pakistan team.

Match-fixters, Three Captains, ICC, ACU, Sarfraz Ahmed, Graeme Creme
Getty Images.

Pakistan will have the advantage of familiar conditions.

“When we played Australia in 2014 we played some attacking cricket,” said Sarfraz as quoted by AFP. “Yasir is our main bowler so we will want him to attack and get us wickets to win the series.

“But similarly we will not put extra pressure on him and will not want him to go in a defensive mode so other bowlers will have to support him.”

Meanwhile, Australia hasn’t had an impressive record while playing in the sub-continent conditions. They have lost 12 of the last 15 Test matches. Furthermore, the visitors will be without the services of their talisman batsman Steven Smith and David Warner, which is going to add salt to the injury.

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Yasir Shah, Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan vs Australia 2018
Yasir Shah. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

In fact, Pakistan will need to be wary of Nathan Lyon who has done well in the recent past. Lyon had scalped 41 wickets against India and Bangladesh in six Test matches. Moreover, Pakistan will not have the services of experienced batsman like Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.

“We attacked him four years ago and at that time we had great batsmen in Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq,”

“Four years on he is a better bowler so he will be their main bowler and a challenge for us,” said Sarfraz of Lyon.

Sarfraz said that the focus is to play good cricket and win the series.

“Australia want to focus on an improved performance in Asia, so that’s their challenge while our focus and challenge is to play good cricket and win the series,” said Sarfraz Ahmed.

It is going to be an interesting series between Australia and Pakistan. Australia will be bleak without Steven Smith and David Warner whereas Pakistan will have a home advantage. Thus, Pakistan will rely on Yasir Shah to get the better off Australia.

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