Misbah-ul-Haq: “If you bowl to him at the fourth-stump line and make him play from there, there can be a chance for a nick”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq believes he knows the secret to dismissing Australia batsman Steve Smith early.

Smith has been in magnificent form as of late as he starred in Australia’s Ashes series against England, where he was the top scorer with 774 runs in four matches, which included three centuries and three fifties, at an average of 110.57.

He followed that up with 66 runs in the three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka, which included a half-century, at an average of 66 and a strike-rate of 146.66.

In the three-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan, he scored an unbeaten 80 in the one innings he played.

However, while Smith has dominated thus far, Misbah noted that bowling “to him at the fourth-stump line” could be the answer to getting him out early on.

“For us, it’ll be important to get his wicket early in the innings because once he’s set, he can play the sort of innings that can take you out of the match,” Misbah told cricket.com.au. “We’ve got to be consistent, bowl to him in good areas and make him play early in the innings.

“If you bowl to him at the fourth-stump line and make him play from there, there can be a chance for a nick.”

The two-Test series between Australia and Pakistan begins on November 21 in Brisbane.

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