Yousuf takes responsibility for Sydney Test defeat

Sydney, Jan 7(ANI): Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf has said that he regrets playing the straight drive to off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, which blew a golden opportunity to level the Test series against Australia.

Yousuf's wicket triggered a batting collapse and the visitors lost the game from a seemingly winning position after they fell 36 runs short of the 175 run target set by the Australians.

"It was a pathetic shot, really. I have no excuses because as captain and senior batsman I had to take responsibility. I hit it really hard, but it went straight towards him (Hauritz) and he grabbed it," The News quoted Yousuf, as saying.

The 35-year-old further said that his young side was unable to handle the pressure.

"They are all young and failed to take the pressure. Our batsmen also need more discipline and more batting sense. They will have to learn from their mistakes," Yousuf said.e also said that underrating Australian lower-order batsman Peter Siddle and providing easy singles to centurion Michael Hussey, were other mistakes that the team management made.

"We were trying to contain Hussey. The idea was to give him easy singles so that we could attack Siddle. But, he (Siddle) played too well. He was actually a big surprise for us," Yousuf said.

Hussey and Siddle shared a record ninth wicket partnership of 123 runs to help Australia post 381 in their second innings. (ANI)