Mohammad Abbas: “I am sad that I was not able to add my name in the list of bowlers taking five-wicket hauls at this ground”
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Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Abbas has admitted that he was displeased with his performance in the first Test against England at Lord’s as he failed to get a five-wicket haul and have his name etched on the Lord’s honours board.
Abbas was named Man of the Match as he took four wickets in each innings to lead Pakistan to a nine-wicket win.
However, despite ripping through England’s batting line-up in both innings, he lamented the fact that he wasn’t able to achieve what he wanted at the ‘Home of Cricket’.
“I came here with a vision to produce a match-winning performance and I achieved that,” he was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune. “Playing your first Test at the Home of Cricket – Lord’s – and being named the player of the match is one of the dreams that cricketers have.
“I have succeeded in achieving this honour and I am happy, but at the same time, I am sad that I was not able to add my name in the list of bowlers taking five-wicket hauls at this ground.
“The captain and other players supported me to complete five wickets, but I was just unlucky.”
Abbas admitted that his county stint with Leicestershire, where he took three wickets in one County Championship game at an average of 32.66, helped him prepare for the Test series and get accustomed to the conditions in England.
“I came here early and played a match for Leicestershire which gave me much-needed confidence and also helped me in performing against England,” he said. “I have worked hard in domestic cricket back home and am now just proving that I am the right choice for the tour.”
With the eight wickets he took at Lord’s, Abbas made history by becoming the first Pakistani bowler to take 40 wickets in their first seven Tests.
“Gaining all these achievements in just one match feels really great,” he said. “All I hope now is that I can keep up with the same performance in future. I will not lessen my hard work and will work to achieve more and more for my country and myself.”
Abbas added that he aims to continue tormenting England in the second Test at Headingley, which begins on Friday.
“I will try to give an even better performance in the next match so that Pakistan are victorious and are able to jump to number five in the Test rankings,” he said.