DUBAI // England’s first glimpse of Yasir Shah, the star Pakistan leg-spinner, was hardly the stuff of nightmares which had been forecast.
But Mushtaq Ahmed, the home side’s spin-bowling coach, said he was satisfied with the way he had performed on his return to the side after a back injury.
Yasir, 29, managed the wicket of England captain Alastair Cook but otherwise was handled well by the away team’s batsman.
“I am very happy with Yasir after injury,” Mushtaq said. “He still has stiffness in his back but I am very happy with the way he started.
“This is the first innings. He is landing the ball OK and his pace is very nice. It is a good sign. He is up there, not bowling a bad ball, and he is in good rhythm.”
Even though the game remains in the balance, Day 2 unquestionably belonged to England from the moment Stuart Broad dismissed Pakistan’s captain-centurion Misbah-ul-Haq in the first over.
The last six Pakistan wickets fell for 96 in an elongated first session, while the batsmen continued the impressive form they had shown in the first match in Abu Dhabi. “If we can manage to get 400-plus on a deteriorating wicket, we will be in the box seat,” Broad said.
“First innings runs are everything. I can’t see it becoming easier to bat on that pitch, so we have to make sure we get the first innings runs.”
Mushtaq said the morning collapse by Pakistan’s lower order had been poor.
“We didn’t bat well,” he said. “We didn’t understand the situation very smartly. Our game plan is to play positive cricket, but you have to play with smartness and choose the right ball.”
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