Mohsin Khan satisfied with Pakistan’s performance in Zimbabwe

The Chief selector of Pakistan, Mohsin Khan, on Thursday praised the performance of the new look Pakistan side in the ongoing tour of Zimbabwe.

Mohsin expressed satisfaction over the team’s performance in the tour so far, as the Misbah-ul Haq-led inexperienced Pakistani side defeated Zimbabwe in both the Test and the One-Day series.

"As a whole, the team performance is very satisfactory,” said Mohsin Khan while talking to a leading Pakistan newspaper. “…even though Zimbabwe was not a weak opposition, our boys played well and won every game," he added further.

Mohsin Khan, the former Test player of Pakistan, had been heavily criticized for sending a new look side to tour Zimbabwe and resting the experienced players at home. Pakistan fielded a three-prong pace attack in the only Test against Zimbabwe. Two of the three pacers were debutants while the third, Junaid Khan, was playing his second Test; however, the tourists ended up winning the five-dayer quite convincingly.

After winning the only Test at Bulawayo, Pakistan went on to clean sweep the hosts in the three-match One Day International series.

The Zimbabwe itinerary ends with two T20 Internationals at Harare on September 16 and 18. Most of the players called up for the first time and those recalled for the series performed reasonably well. Mohammad Hafeez remained the pick for the tourists all through the tour, scripting two centuries in his name.

The PCB chief selector reckoned the successful tour will help the team management and the selectors while planning for the upcoming neutral venue series against Sri Lanka, starting in United Arab Emirates (UAE) next month.

"This tour of Zimbabwe will help us a lot in putting together a solid combination for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka, which is one of the best teams in the world," Mohsin said.

However the chairman of PCB selection committee did add that the final call on the squad for Sri Lanka series will be made keeping the playing conditions in mind.

Pakistan will play Sri Lanka in three Tests, five One Day Internationals and a one-off Twenty20 International. The tour will commence on October 18 with a Test match between the two outfits at Abu Dhabi.