Criticism continues after Pakistan’s defeat to West Indies in the first Test match. Most of the debate is centered on why Babar Azam gave strike to the tail-enders. Many fans believe if Babar had batted through, Pakistan could have avoided the heavy 90-run loss.But the reality is different.
WEBDESK – MISHKAAT– SHARJAH NEWS
The Match Was Lost In The First Innings
West Indian pitches are known for getting tougher with each innings. The average score keeps dropping. In T20Is at this same ground, 99% of matches have been low-scoring. Afghanistan was even bowled out for 56 against South Africa here. That tells you everything about the conditions.
Pakistan lost 50% of the Test in the first innings itself when West Indies crossed 300. On slow, low-scoring pitches, if you concede 300+ in the first innings, you are already behind. West Indies also fought well in the second innings after taking the lead.
Is The Tail-ender Debate Justified?
When the score is 64 for 7, arguing over 15-20 runs makes no sense. Our top-order batters got out in a way that they didn’t even look capable of keeping strike. So blaming two tail-enders for getting out is missing the point. The real issue is the overall batting.
The Real Problems: Bowling and Batting Consistency
1. Bowling: For nearly 70 overs in the first innings, 3 of our frontline bowlers, including 2 pacers, went wicketless. On slow pitches, if you don’t restrict the opposition to around 250 in the first innings, you put yourself under pressure. Of Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali, only one looked effective.
2. Batting: On such pitches, scoring 350-375 on day 2 and 3 happens only in rare matches. Our batting line-up failed that test.
Future of Fast Bowling: Back Young Raw Talent
History shows our legendary pacers made their debut very young. Sarfaraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis all debuted before age 20. Fazal Mahmood and Shoaib Akhtar debuted after 22.
There has been a lot of talk about domestic cricket and academies in recent years. But if Pakistan wants to regain its lost glory in fast bowling, we will have to trust raw talent for the next 2-3 years. Every country has its strengths, and for Pakistan, that strength has always been raw, natural talent.
It’s easy to blame tail-enders for a 90-run defeat. But Tests are not won on one or two innings. The team that plays better for the entire Test wins. Pakistan needs to fix its first-innings bowling and overall batting. Otherwise, we will keep struggling on pitches like these.
