Abid credits Misbah, Younis, Yousuf for rediscovering form

Opening batsman Abid Ali believes that sessions with the coaching staff of both the national team and the National High Performance Centre helped him in rediscovering his form.

The 33-year-old was the leading run-getter in the recently concluded two-match Test series against Zimbabwe for Pakistan where he managed to score 275 runs, which included an unbeaten double-century.

While talking to the media in a virtual press conference, Abid revealed that a fifty in the first Test gave him the confidence to play bigger innings in the second fixture.

“I was in desperate need of a big score which was important for my career,” he said. “I had been working with the coaches. The fifty in the series opener gave me confidence which eventually helped me in the second Test where I managed to score a double-century.”

Babar sets sight on West Indies series after Zimbabwe victory

Abid also shared how head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and batting coach Younis Khan gave him the confidence to play marathon innings in the second fixture.

“Misbah had told me to focus on my cricket and play with a cool head,” he said. “He also kept insisting that I can play a big knock. Younis Khan also gave me confidence by telling me that he had scored a double century on the same venue. He also told me that I was not playing badly and that I was just experiencing a bad patch. He told me that I would come out of this.”

Abid further went on to give credit to legendary batsman Mohammad Yousuf for his advice during training sessions conducted in Lahore. “Mohammad Yousuf, during training at the National High Performance Centre and camps, also gave me a lot of guidance and told me to focus on the basics,” he added.