Pakistan bowling coach Shaun Tait on Thursday expressed satisfaction with his attack's showing in the ongoing ODI tri-series, saying the pace and spin departments had complemented each other well in back-to-back wins over Sri Lanka and England.
Pakistan made a strong start to the tri-series – first by beating Sri Lanka by 37 runs before thrashing England by 87 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The side arrived in Lahore from Rawalpindi on Wednesday evening and was given a day off on Thursday.
The players will resume training on Friday ahead of their second meeting with England on Sunday. "The bowling has been really encouraging so far. It is a great way to start the series against two quality teams with some very good players.
“England have a formidable batting line-up, so to bowl the way we did against them was really pleasing. We have a nice balance between pace and spin and both departments are complementing each other really well," Tait told PCB Digital on Thursday.
The former Australia fast bowler, who is in his second stint with the Pakistan side, said it was a pleasure to reunite with a familiar pace group. "It is also pleasing for me personally because the fast-bowling group is very similar to the one I worked with when I was Pakistan's bowling coach four years ago. Haris, Shaheen, Naseem and Faheem were all part of that group, so it is nice to link up with them again."
Tait credited the domestic first-class games played before the series for getting the fast bowlers ready for international duty. "I definitely think playing one or two domestic matches before an international series has been a big help. It allows the bowlers to get some overs under their belts, build up their bowling workload and then freshen up before the international matches begin.
"Getting that balance right is not always easy, but ideally you want the bowlers to have enough bowling behind them while also being fresh going into a major series. You do not always get that opportunity, so you have to be smart about how you manage their preparation. I think the first-class matches have helped the bowlers and now it is about managing their workloads throughout the series, which I believe we are doing really well."
He also praised head coach Mike Hesson's handling of the squad and stressed that rest days had become vital in a crowded calendar. "Head coach Mike Hesson has managed the team really well, making sure the players have enough time away from the game and come into matches feeling fresh.
"There is so much cricket being played nowadays, along with the demands of training, that rest days have become extremely important. A day off today is not necessarily about tomorrow; it is about how a player feels in two weeks or even two months.
"That is how you have to look at recovery. It is not just about the immediate benefit but also about keeping the players physically and mentally fresh over a longer period."
Looking ahead to Sunday's return clash, Tait said England remained a formidable white-ball outfit, but Pakistan had shown in Rawalpindi that they could keep strong sides in check at home.
"Everyone understands what England are capable of as a white-ball team. They are among the best sides in the world and have a very strong batting line-up. The scores they are capable of putting up make it a great challenge for our bowlers.
"We showed in Rawalpindi that we can make things difficult for strong opposition in our own conditions and that is what we want to continue doing against both England and Sri Lanka. I do not think our overall approach will change too much. We have our plans and a clear understanding of how we want to bowl. There will always be small adjustments depending on the conditions.
"The pitch here in Lahore will be different from Rawalpindi, although I have not had a chance to look at it yet. We do not want to put too much emphasis on the conditions. It is more about what we do as a bowling group and I believe we are experienced and smart enough to make the necessary adjustments," he explained.
Tait further said he wanted his fast bowlers to bring back the thrill that Pakistan's pace attacks have traditionally been known for, and hoped it would draw fans to the grounds. "We had a decent crowd in Rawalpindi and hopefully we will see similar support here in Lahore. The best way to attract crowds is for Pakistan to play good, exciting cricket.
"I have spoken to the fast bowlers about bringing that excitement back to the bowling attack. We have the players who are capable of doing that and it is something I really want to see from this group."
Tait signed off by reserving special praise for young all-rounder Arafat Minhas, who made key contributions with both bat and ball against England. "Arafat Minhas is also a product of the HBL PSL, where he has already shown what he is capable of. He has carried that confidence into international cricket and performed well against Australia, from what I have seen and heard and he is continuing that form in this series.
"He is showing his worth and repaying the faith the selectors have placed in him, which is all you can ask for from a young player. There will be different challenges for him as his career progresses, but he is a very confident young cricketer who contributes with the bat, the ball and in the field.
“He also has some leadership qualities, which is encouraging to see. It was really pleasing to see him perform the way he did in the last match and hopefully he can continue building on that."