Among the failures of the series so far is top-order batsman Sohaib Maqsood. Sources said that Pakistan are considering the idea of replacing him with all-rounder Anwar Ali for the series decider. According to sources close to Pakistan’s dressing room, the team management has been pondering ways and means to stop the rampaging hosts in the series finale after what happened in Hamilton. Meanwhile, New Zealand have announced that they are completely focused on Friday’s game. Allrounder Grant Elliott has stressed that the Black Caps are focusing firmly on the present as they approach Friday’s game in Wellington. There’s no point in revisiting the past, not even when it includes Martin Guptill’s unbeaten 237 in the World Cup quarter-finals against the West Indies in New Zealand’s last appearance at Westpac Stadium. And with almost two months until the World Twenty20 in India, there’s little advantage to looking too far ahead. “Something that’s been quite good with this team is we haven’t really revisited things from the past,” Elliott said on Tuesday. “We’re just looking ahead at what we can do for the next game, and that goes for the T20 World Cup as well. “It’s about concentrating on the game we’ve got coming. This team is excellent at being quite level about that.

“Every day is different with cricket and you have to approach it that way.” It’s an approach that worked well after the Black Caps lost the first T20 by 16 runs in Auckland last Friday. They bounced back with an emphatic 10-wicket win two days later in Hamilton, Guptill and skipper Williamson setting a new record with their unbeaten 171-run opening stand. Elliott says there was a fine line between the two matches, with the swings and shifts of T20 cricket playing a key role. “Twenty20 can change in a matter of balls. It’s about trying to absorb the pressure, trying to put that pressure back on the opposition,” he said. The confidence shown by Pakistan, particularly at Eden Park when their bowlers snared New Zealand’s last eight wickets for 66 runs, was an important part of winning T20 matches. “Looking at the Pakistan team, after that win at Eden Park, they’re a confident unit and they’re an aggressive unit, bowling and batting. “As a T20 team you want to carry form into the game. You can start your innings with confidence, and I think that’s what T20 cricket is all about,” he concluded.

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/