Pietersen Expects Pakistan Backlash
England batsman Kevin Pietersen believes Pakistan will come back at them strongly in the third Test at Headingley on Friday.
Pakistan were thrashed in the second Test, losing by an innings and 120 runs inside three days.
Pietrson said England were on a high but warned: “I don’t think Pakistan were unnerved by the defeat.”
“They are world-class players and you don’t expect them to fail twice in a row in consecutive games.”
The England batsman said it was highly unusual for both Mohammad Yousuf and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq to fail and with two Tests to play he believes they will get back on track straight away.
“Mohammad Yousuf got a double hundred at Lord’s and didn’t do as well as he would have liked in the last one,” he said.
“But you don’t expect players like him and Inzamam to fail regularly and I’m sure they will bounce back.”
Pietersen is also hoping for an improvement in his own form as he has failed to score a half-century in his last six innings for England.
“I’ve missed out in two Test matches now, so it would be nice to get some runs,” he admitted.
“It would be nice to get a hundred and I know I’m training and doing everything I’m supposed to do to prepare as best I can.”
“If it happens it happens, but if it doesn’t I’m sure it’s around the corner somewhere.”
