Pakistan cricket coach Intikhab Alam has labelled Australia "beatable" while laughing off reports that his job is on the line on the eve of his team's tour of Australia. Pakistan, which will head into day three of third Test against New Zealand at Napier Sunday with series up for grabs at one-all, will arrive in Australia this week to play three Tests, five one-dayers and one Twenty20 match.
Intikhab, despite his side's less-than-convincing performances against the Black Caps, is confident victory is well within his team's capabilities. "There's no doubt that it (tour to Australia) will be a step up," he said. "Australia are one of the best teams in the world and you have to give them that credit. But at the same time, it also means it's going to be a challenge for us also to go there and try and do well against them.
"They're still one of best sides in Test cricket but that's not to say they can't be beaten. They can be beaten, and other sides like India have done that the last time they were there. South Africans also beat them there and, to me, that means there's also a very good chance for us as well.
"This side, if we play up to our potential, especially in the batting department, I think we have a good enough bowling unit to get them out twice." Intikhab also felt that Australians, pushed to wire by the West Indies in last week's second Test at Adelaide Oval, had lost their aura of invincibility.