We won't let Sharjah defeat affect our show in NZ, insists Azhar Ali

Despite failing to end the UAE tour on high, Pakistan ODI skipper Azhar Ali is confident his side will put up a strong performance in the forthcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand starting on November 17 at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Pakistan's hopes of clinching a historic 9-0 rout of West Indies were shattered after the Misbah-ul-Haq suffered a five-wicket defeat in the final Test in Sharjah to settle with 2-1 three-match series win. The hosts earlier whitewashed the Caribbean side 3-0 in the previous T20I and ODI series respectively.

It was West Indies' first away win against a side ranked above them since 2007 and first Test win for Jason Holder as captain.

 

Although Test opener Azhar admitted that the tour whitewash against the Windies would have been a great achievement, he insisted that his side were not affected by the Sharjah defeat.

"A whitewash in all three series would've been a great achievement but unfortunately we weren't able to finish it off. But the team is very good with comebacks so it's not all lost [following the defeat]," Azhar was quoted as saying by the Dawn.

While leg-spinner Yasir Shah was declared 'Man of the Series' for his 21 wickets, Azhar emerged as the top-scorer in the three Tests with 474 runs in six innings including a career-best unbeaten 302 in the series-opening pink-ball match in Dubai.

The New Zealand tour will follow a three-match Test series against Australia, starting from December 15 in Brisbane.