Pakistan can prosper with pace: Riaz

Pakistan are confident they have the pace-bowling firepower to challenge Australia should they be forced to enter the first Commonwealth Bank Test without star legspinner Yasir Shah.

Shah, who is ranked ninth on the ICC Test bowling rankings, sustained a back injury during a team practice session in Cairns this week before the three-day tour match against a Cricket Australia XI.

While the tourists are confident he will be fit to play the first Test in Brisbane, 17-year-old left-armer Mohammad Asghar has been called into the squad as cover.

Shah, who has claimed 116 wickets in 20 Tests, is regarded as one of the world’s best spinners and looms as a vital cog for Pakistan as they chase their first ever Test series win in Australia.

While Shah is an undoubtedly a key player, the tourists’ fast-bowling group also boasts plenty of variety, according to left-armer Wahab Riaz, who Australians would best remember for his fiery spell in the World Cup quarter-final last year.

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Mohammad Amir has returned from his spot fixing ban in top form, taking 13 wickets in his past four Tests, while Sohail Khan, Imran Khan and Rahat Ali are also proven at Test level.

The three-match series, which starts with a day-night fixture at the Gabba from Thursday, is set to showcase two of the world’s most exciting fast bowling line-ups.

“I haven’t got any feedback on (Shah) yet, but obviously he’s recovering well,” Wahab said of the legspinner.

“He’s going to be our trump card and we want him to play the first Test match.

“All the fast bowlers in this squad, they have their own speciality.

“Amir bowls that inswinger really well, Rahat moves it both ways, I come with the pace, Sohail Khan has a tendency to have a good outswinger, with Imran Khan as well, so everybody is really good and working hard and it depends who gets a chance to play.

“Obviously everyone wants to perform and it’s a good bunch of fast bowlers.

“We are confident in each other – it’s not about who’s playing and who’s not.”

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Riaz should enjoy Australian conditions and is capable of sending the speed gun past the 150kmh mark.

The 31-year-old, who has 65 Test wickets from 21 matches at 33.16 apiece, roughed up Australia during the World Cup last year, delivering a fearsome spell that former skipper Michael Clarke later declared was “as good as I’ve faced in one-day cricket for a long time”.

"Left arm is always extra tough for a right-handed batsman because the angle of the ball is at your body the whole time, and he didn’t bowl too many bouncers that weren’t on the money,” Clarke said at the time.

Riaz said he was looking forward to the series between the world’s third and fourth-ranked Test sides.

“It’s always exciting to bowl in Australia because the wickets are really good for bowling as well as for batting,” he said.

“They have true bounce and true pace. We like these kinds of tracks all over the world.

“If you’re playing against Australia, you have to be aggressive, you have to be at the top of your game.

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“We know the Australian players, they are the best side in the world and obviously the love to attack.

“But it’s how you counterattack them and how your attitude and how your body language is against Australia because it’s a game where Australia will try and put pressure on you and you’ve got to bounce back on to them.”

Amir (3-15), Ali (3-26) and Riaz (3-28) were all prominent as Pakistan rolled a CA XI for 114 in the first innings of their tour match.

Pakistan will resume at 5-124 in their second innings on the final day and holds a 218-run lead.

While Australia appear unlikely to go with an all pace attack after off-spinner Nathan Lyon snared four wickets in their third Test victory over South Africa, swing bowler Chadd Sayers is pushing hard to make his debut after grabbing 29 wickets from five Sheffield Shield matches this season.

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