Lack of Test cricket harming our chances, says Intikhab Alam

Since late January this year Pakistan have played 22 one-day internationals, including the Champions Trophy, and 13 Twenty20 internationals, including the ICC World Twenty20 which they won.

In the same period they played just five Tests prior to the series opener against New Zealand in Dunedin last week, which they lost by 32 runs.

In that match at the University Oval only Umar Akmal, who scored 129 and 75 in his Test debut, stood out with the bat.

His brother Kamran Akmal was the only other batsman to post a score above 50 in either innings.

Young top order batsmen, opener Khurram Manzoor and first drop Fawad Alam, playing in just his third Test, struggled against New Zealand's new ball attack of Shane Bond and Chris Martin.

Former Indian Cricket League rebel Imran Farhat, who had not played a Test in more than two years, also never looked comfortable at the crease managing just 22 and one as Pakistan crumbled to 85 for five in their first innings and 24 for three in the second innings before Umar hauled them out of trouble.

"It's a mental game really for the openers. They've got to stay at the wicket," said Intikhab who felt the batsmen were not used to digging in for the long haul.

"The obvious reason is that we play too much one-day cricket and Twenty20 cricket. We're not playing Test cricket regularly so you need to apply yourself according to the playing conditions and stay at the wicket ... and try to build your innings.

"We have a good pace attack that we can bowl New Zealand out twice but I'm concerned about our batting, especially the middle order and opening batsmen.

"They are youngsters and it will take time but we have to get things together."

Misbah-ul-Haq, who bats at five or six, arrived in Wellington on Monday as Pakistan began preparing for the second Test at the Basin Reserve, which begins on Thursday.

The 35-year-old is expected to be rushed straight back into the side to shore up the batting and Intikhab is also hoping he will provide a safe pair of hands in the slips cordon after a poor performance in Dunedin saw five catches dropped - four by Farhat alone.

"Misbah's been playing domestic cricket in Pakistan so he should be all right. He is experienced and that will give us the strength in our batting order," Intikhab added.

"He is probably one of the best slip fielders too so he will be good for us standing at first slip.

"I'm a little bit worried about our slip catching. Misbah and Younis (Khan) used to be in the slips ... but now we've got two youngsters (Umar and Farhat).

"I'm not making any excuses because we have to take our catches. If we had taken those catches probably the result could have been different."