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Brisbane - The Pakistan team, six years in the making and
armed with insider knowledge from coach Mickey Arthur, are poised to make
history in Australia, veteran skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said on Wednesday.
Misbah, who exerts a calming influence on the mercurial
Pakistanis, believes the side has developed into one that can finally deliver a
series win after 11 fruitless tours to Australia.
Pakistan have won only four of their 32 Tests Down Under and
have lost their last nine Tests since their last victory in Sydney in 1995.
No team from the sub-continent has won a Test series in
Australia, further underlining the massive undertaking.
But Misbah, who scored just 76 runs in four innings in his
only tour to Australia in 2009/10, is confident the tourists can turn things around
against Steve Smith's men, who are themselves emerging from a recent losing
five-Test run.
"We took almost six years to develop this team and that
team showed a lot to the world when we played in England and in 'home'
conditions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi," he told reporters ahead of Thursday's
day-night Test at Brisbane's Gabba.
"So we have a lot of faith and confidence behind that.
These players are experienced enough and they have the belief that they can do
it.
"We've had some unbelievable successes in the past. I
think those victories and those performances always give you confidence, even
in Australia," Misbah said.
"No doubt the conditions are tough but once you have
confidence and belief I think you can change the history."
Much of Pakistan's confidence flows from the insights coach
Arthur has on the Australians after his time as their national coach up to his
sacking ahead of the 2013 Ashes series in England.
"He knows the ins and outs of most of the players, he
knows their strengths and weaknesses," the captain said.
"That's always helpful when you have that sort of
inside information about the opposition.
"We feel we have that sort of advantage and he's giving
his input to the players how we need to go about the business. That can really
help us in making our strategies."
No one has beaten Australia at their Gabba fortress since
the West Indies in 1988, but the unique challenge of the first pink-ball Test
under lights at the ground makes Pakistan's chances difficult to assess.
"It is not only the Gabba conditions but also the pink
ball, day-night Test match," said Misbah, who at 42 is the oldest current
Test player.
"The players are not that much familiar with the pink
ball and these conditions. That could be a challenge, especially under lights.
"It's always a challenge when you come to play in
Australia because these conditions are totally different from the rest of the
world, a bit more bounce and pace here.
"You need some time to get used to these conditions,
especially if you are playing under lights and using the pink ball. That could
be a little bit tricky, especially for the batsmen."
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah is looking to make an impact with the
extra bounce from the Gabba pitch.
"He's a wonderful bowler, he proved himself not only in
the UAE but also in England," Misbah said.
"Shane Warne was very successful in Australian
conditions because of the bounce he gets from these wickets.
"We believe he (Yasir) is the kind of bowler who can make his impact especially in Australia where bounce can play a big role during the series."
