I am glad for Tim Paine that he doesn't play for Pakistan: Kamran Akmal
Pakistan's wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal believes Australian captain and wicket-keeper Tim Paine doesn't play for the former. The latter put on a dreadful show with the gloves in the recently concluded Day 5 of the Sydney Test.
Tim Paine, who is usually known to be an excellent gloveman, shelled three chances on the last day of the third Test, thereby helping India put up one of its greatest ever rearguard efforts.
Speaking in a YouTube video in which he reflected upon a terrific day's cricket, Kamran Akmal stated that he is glad Tim Paine does not play for Pakistan. Akmal claimed Pain would have copped heavy criticism in that case.
“I am glad that Pakistan wasn’t playing there and he [Tim Paine] wasn’t in a Pakistan team or else they would have said so many things about him [Tim Paine]. Now I will see what will be said by those people who have spoken about me at length. It was an interesting Test and the Australian side made a lot of efforts. They did not lose hope anywhere in the match that they could not win. This fighting attitude was their greatest asset.”
Tim Paine's Australia should have taken their catches
The 38-year-old further opined that Tim Paine's side would have gone 2-1 up had they held on to the chances presented to them.
“Australia would have been celebrating a win if they had taken their catches. This did not happen, however. The fielding did not allow this to happen. You can have good and bad days on the field. The specialty of the Australian side is that they do not make many mistakes. They made all their mistakes in a single day. Tim Paine had a very bad outing. This happens. Every keeper drops catches but what can we say."
Earlier on Monday, a battered and bruised Indian side fought its way through a remarkably tough examination to clinch a draw from the jaws of defeat.
Tim Paine's Australia could only scalp three wickets on Day 5. The two sides now head to Brisbane for the final encounter of an enthralling Test series currently tied at 1-1.