“You can’t really measure momentum, can you? I’m not sure if it exists”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Australia batsman Usman Khawaja has dismissed talk that Pakistan hold a lot of momentum coming into the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
Pakistan lost the first Test in Brisbane by 39 runs, but it was the fact that they came close to chasing down a record-breaing total of 490 to win has led to some pointing out that they will head into the Boxing Day Test with a lot of confidence.
Khawaja though is not convinced by this theory and insisted that the Baggy Greens still emerged victorious in the day-night affair in Brisbane no matter how close Pakistan came to securing an incredible come-from-behind win.
“I don’t think that matters – it’s a different ground, different conditions, and you can’t really measure momentum, can you? I’m not sure if it exists,” Khawaja said. “There are always things we can do better, no matter what game, but … we still won.
“It doesn’t matter what you win by – you don’t get any more points for winning earlier, later, even though it’s nicer to win earlier. We know we could have been better in a few spots and we hope to improve that in the next game, but a win’s a win. If you gave me the same result in this game, I’d take it.”
While Khawaja did praise Pakistan for their fighting spirit, he also lauded his side for scoring 429 in the first innings.
“We weren’t playing at our best and they were playing very well, that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “We led the game the whole way through, we sort of controlled it the whole way through.”
When asked about the selectors’ decision to call up uncapped Western Australia all-rounder Hilton Cartwright for the Boxing Day Test as cover for the pace attack, who may be fatigued after a gruelling first Test, Khawaja said: “I can see where they’re going with it. I don’t know – there’s so much that goes into it in terms of how the bowlers are feeling, what’s happening, whether they are 100 per cent.
“Fast bowlers never seem like they’re 100 per cent because their bodies go through so much. It will be up to the selectors, that’s why they get paid the big bucks.”