Misbah praises Zahid Mehmood after 'fantastic debut'

Pakistan’s head coach Misbahul Haq, while talking at a virtual press conference on Sunday, praised leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood after a ‘fantastic debut’ which saw the bowler picking up three important wickets against South Africa in the third and final Twenty20 International (T20I) on Sunday.

The 46-year-old revealed that Mehmood was brought into the playing XI because it was a spinning wicket.

"We knew this was a spinning wicket so we thought we'll bring in this new legspinner and try and get him to take wickets and put pressure on South Africa. I think he's made a fantastic debut, he bowled very well today and got us the early breakthroughs just like he'd thought it would play out," Misbah said.

Misbah further clarified that there were no insecurities on his part about his job as the head coach of the national side.

"I have no insecurity whatsoever. Neither are these things in our control. Obviously, the important thing for us, as the coaching staff, is to focus on the series at hand and help out and guide the boys as much as we can. Neither the results are in your control and nor do you control how long the board (PCB) is going to keep you in charge. So, I feel, there's no point thinking about it and taking unnecessary pressure. What's good is that the team's morale is uplifted now after the win," he concluded.

The Men in Green were successful in the recently concluded home fixtures against South Africa, winning the two-match Test series at two-nil while registering a two-one series victory in the T20I leg of the series which comprised of three matches.