Rashid Latif: “Haris Sohail, Azhar Ali and Shan Masood will be playing for their places”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif believes that captain Azhar Ali, opener Shan Masood and batsman Haris Sohail are “playing for their survival” in the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi.

Azhar has struggled with the bat as of late and he didn’t do himself any favours on the opening day of the second Test as he was clean bowled by Vishwa Fernando for a second-ball duck.

In the first Test against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, Azhar scored 36.

As for the recent two-Test series against Australia, the 34-year-old mustered 62 runs at an average of 15.50.

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As for Masood, he fared decently in Australia as he scored 156 runs, which included a fifty, at an average of 39.

In the first Test against Sri Lanka, he made a duck and in the first innings of the second Test, he scored five.

He finished unbeaten on 21 at the end of the second day in Karachi as Pakistan began their second innings.

Haris, meanwhile, only made nine runs in the one Test he played against Australia and didn’t get a chance to bat in the first Test against Sri Lanka.

In the first innings of the second Test, he was dismissed for nine runs.

“Three Pakistan batsmen are playing for their survival,” Latif said in a video as quoted by Cricket Pakistan. “Our batsmen perform better when they are playing for their survival. Haris Sohail, Azhar Ali and Shan Masood will be playing for their places, so it is an important inning for them which is why they will be more focused.

“Azhar Ali has a chance to make a comeback and I am expecting Rizwan to come good as he can sweep the Sri Lankan spinners.”

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