Melbourne: Australian batsman Usman Khawaja has brushed aside talk that Pakistan cricketers might have all the momentum heading into the second Test of the three-match series in Melbourne on December 26.
Although the visiting side lost the opening Test by 39 runs to go 0-1 down in the series, they received a flurry of admiration for their dogged fourth innings chase.
Chasing a world-record target of 490 runs to win, Pakistan’s ninth-wicket partnership between ‘Man of the match’ Asad Shafiq (137) and Yasir Shah (33) raised hopes in the Misbah-ul-Haq-led camp which were soon shattered as the centurion fell prey to a brilliant bouncer by Mitchell Starc.
When asked about Pakistan’s momentum, Khawaja said, “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.”
As reported by cricket.com.au, the left-hander Australian insisted that although the team addressed the way the Brisbane Test was ended, they would try to close the games in much better way in the coming future.
Khawaja, however, insisted his side don’t mind winning ugly, noting that ‘a win is a win’ no matter what.
“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,” Khawaja said.
“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,” he added.
ANI