He also said that Pakistan would not use the quarantine period as an excuse if they lost the series.
Pakistan’s head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said they “realistically considered pulling out of the New Zealand tour” during their time in quarantine, before opting to stay to keep the game alive for fans. . He said the strict two-week quarantine affected the players both mentally and physically, but promised he would not use it as an excuse in the event of an unfavorable outcome.
Pakistan’s quarantine period in New Zealand was notably more bumpy than that of the West Indies, which were also quarantined prior to their series against New Zealand. Players from Pakistan were heavily reprimanded by the New Zealand government for policy violations in the first 12 hours in isolation, while half a dozen players tested positive, jeopardizing the tour. There were several emails exchanged between the two boards regarding the treatment of players in isolation, while New Zealand’s chief health officer, Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, refused to allow players to train while in quarantine. PCB CEO Wasim Khan sent the players a message directly addressing them, warning that they would be sent back to Pakistan if further violations of the Covid-19 protocols occurred, saying it would be “very embarrassing for the country.”
“You try to analyze things and think realistically from all possible angles,” Misbah said while interacting with the media for the first time in New Zealand. “You think about how many days we need to prepare, how we are going to prepare, how to raise your team. Obviously, these are not normal circumstances; what happens here is not ideal. But then, for the sake of international cricket, we want the cricket please go ahead and as a large stakeholder we will do our best to help cricket in general. [about pulling out of the tour] But you finally decided to say no to this option because when you spend so much time on this then you have to try.
“Coping with the situation is not easy for anyone. But if we want to keep the game alive and move on, we have to make this sacrifice for the fans who sit at home who want to watch the game and be entertained at this difficult time. As players and coaches, we are the main stakeholders and we have to keep trying our best. Let’s see how long it can last like this and how long the players can keep it. But I think that as professionals somehow we have to handle ourselves in the bubble or in quarantine “.
While spoiling the lack of training and the impact on the players of the strict isolation in Christchurch, Misbah said they were struggling to make up for lost time, cutting 14 days of work to one week. Pakistan originally had to get waivers allowing them to train in groups, but with the initial positive cases, the New Zealand Ministry refused permission to train amid concerns about the risk of cross-infection within the team. The refusal to his previous exception deprived the team of its expected preparation for the series and Misbah said this will have affected the players.
“It’s not about blaming anyone. In fact, no matter what you say, facts are still facts. As professionals, we don’t look for excuses because at the end of the day, no matter what excuse makes people consider the bottom line. So our thought process is to forget about the uncontrollable. Whatever happens, we can’t do much about it. What we can control is catching up on every minute and every moment that we couldn’t get in those 14 days.
“After all, it is not easy to catch up on lost time and squeeze two weeks of work into a week, but the players are responding well, managing to regain their focus on the field. We are doing everything we can to find ourselves back on track. zone, retain our best skills and regain our fitness level. We are here with a mission and the main thing we practice in any sport is to win and we are confident that we can do well. “
Speaking about the importance of fast bowlers in New Zealand, Misbah said the tour will serve as a learning curve for young fast bowlers. “When you go to a new place, it offers you a learning experience,” Misbah said. “Shaheen [Afridi] and Wahab [Riaz] they have quite a bit of experience now. Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain are growing with each series so everyone is getting into a rhythm. They have the skills, the potential, the rhythm and the swing; this package can surprise anyone.
“If New Zealand has [Lockie] Ferguson as his main pacemaker which clocked around 150 km / h, then we have three to four fast pitchers with similar ability. If you think you can challenge us with rhythm, you must also meet the same challenge. New Zealand is a tough team at home and plays well against the West Indies, but they will be challenged and you will see good cricket. “
Umar Farooq is a correspondent for ESPNcricinfo in Pakistan
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