Former Australia speedster Brett Lee says he learnt “a very important lesson†after Pakistan’s (almost) successful run chase at the Brisbane Test which left skipper Steve Smith biting off his fingernails in anxiety.
“The lesson is you never, ever write off a team . . . especially one with the obvious heart and fight of Misbah-Ul-Haq’s men,†Lee wrote in his article for Sportsta.
“When Pakistan was bundled out for 142 in the first innings of the Day/Night Test, I bought into all the talk that swirled around Brisbane suggesting the match could be over in three days.
“I based my belief purely on Pakistan’s performances on their previous tours to Australia, where they’ve struggled to compete on our bouncy wickets.â€
After the game, which almost ended in Pakistan’s favour after a historical fightback, Lee was asked what he had learnt from the Test.
“We should never take anything for granted about a cricket team, especially one that represents the hopes and dreams of their nation and one that won the last series against Australia quite convincingly,†Lee wrote.
“I couldn’t help but to admire how they whittled down the runs to such an extent the Aussies seemed to be the team that was on the rack in the dying stages.
“It was special, and from my perch in the TripleM commentary box, I thought Pakistan’s young guns who played with determination, self belief and confidence, deserved plenty of praise,†Lee continued.
“They have a will to succeed and while he’s not exactly a pup, I’ll long remember Asad Shafiq’s century in the second innings as that of a genuine fighter,†the fiery paceman-turned-commentator wrote.
Pakistan fought to turn the Gabba Test into a cliffhanger, chasing a Test record 490 for victory after collapsing in the first innings. However, led by heroic resistance from Asad Shafiq, Pakistan fell just 39 runs short of victory, earning heaps of praise from former and current cricket greats from around the world.