Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq insists spot fixing-tainted pacer Mohammad Amir is in good space for today's comeback Test against England at Lord's
London: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has urged disgraced bowler Mohammad Amir to win over the cricket world when he makes his Test return against England at Lord's today.
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Pakistan’s captain Misbah-ul-Haq during a media conference at Lord's yesterday
Amir is resuming his Test career at the scene of the spot-fixing shame which saw him banned for five years after admitting to deliberately bowling no-balls in 2010.
Also Read: Mohammad Amir should have been banned for life: Graeme Swann
England skipper Alastair Cook, who advocates lifelong bans for cheats, expects Amir to face a hostile reception when he takes the field at the home of cricket.
He's ready
Yet while Amir's return has inevitably dominated the build-up to the four-match series, Misbah insists the 24-year-old paceman is ready for the challenge of re-embarking upon what was once predicted to be a glittering career.
Also Read: Mohammad Amir being compared to me is a compliment: Andy Roberts
Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir during a practice session at Lord’s in London yesterday. Pic/AFP
"His mood is good," said Misbah. "He's just focusing on what he has to do on the ground. He is really responding well to that and I hope it's a big opportunity for him, and that he comes on to the field and performs for Pakistan, to win the people again. At the moment there are no worries for us in terms of Mohammad Amir."
Pakistan will be facing an England side without the world's No 1 bowler, James Anderson, and with a reshuffled batting line-up following Gary Balance's surprise recall.
Joe Root will move up to three with James Vince at four and Ballance at five, and Misbah will be looking to put pressure on a potentially fragile middle order.
"Sometimes when you have two or three batters struggling in the team, that could be an area you can exploit your opponents," he said. "But you need to focus on all 11 players and all of the batting line-up. England are really good in the lower middle order, they can hurt you, and we all have to focus on everybody."
Jake Ball will make his Test debut, having got the nod ahead of Toby Roland-Jones to replace Anderson. England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker was bowling in the nets at Lord's but will sit out the series opener to ensure he recovers fully from his shoulder injury. "It's an advantage if one of the main bowlers is missing," admitted Misbah.
Bowlers set to thrive
"But we know all their bowlers are really good in these conditions and we have to be up to the mark and ready for the challenge of the other bowlers too. "We will concentrate on our strengths and forget about who's playing and who's not. We will give every bowler respect. I think we feel ready, our preparation has been good and everyone is ready to go. England are playing well on home soil so it's a big challenge."
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