Pakistan’s former cricketers have lauded the inclusion of middle-order batsman Fawad Alam into the national side for the second Test against England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

Legendary batsman Inzamamul Haq conveyed his good wishes for the hard-working batsman and the entire team.

“The decision to bat first in the second Test against England was a good one. Now the batsmen need to take responsibility for the side and score big in the first innings. Batting in the last two days on this pitch would be a hard task,” said Inzamam. 

“I wish Fawad Alam well and hope that he can perform well. If he scores than it will greatly benefit the team,” he added.

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Former captain Mohammad Yousaf expressed hope for a better performance from the Men in Green after winning the toss in the second Test.

“Winning the toss on this Southampton pitch is a big advantage. Now the batsmen need to be cautious in their approach. Azhar Ali and Asad SHafiq are the most experienced batsmen in the side while the young stars are also capable of performing well. The coaching staff with the team is very experienced as well and is capable of making a good combination. I hope that they have learned from their mistakes in Manchester and this will help turn the result in their favour during the second Test,” said Yousaf. 

“Fawad Alam is getting a great chance after 10 years to solidify his place in the side. If he can perform here, it will take the pressure off him and put the team in a great position,” he added.

Former off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq believes that Alam understands how to score runs while being under pressure.

“I am hopeful for a better performance from Pakistan. Fawad Alam will be under pressure but he knows fully well how to score runs in these situations. Pakistan has the ability to bounce back and I am hopeful that they will perform well. It is not easy for any visiting side to click right at the start in England,” he said.