The real test after the Tests

After an incredibly auspicious start to the home Test season, the mercurial Pakistan team has been brought back to earth by New Zealand, who registered an emphatic innings win in the Sharjah Test last week, drawing the three-match series 1-1. Records tumbled left, right and centre and by the time New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum (202) had finished with his brazen attack against Pakistan’s bowlers, the latter had very little left in the tank. However, the bowlers can only be partially blamed as the batsmen had squandered the chance of posting a big score despite taking first use of a placid batting track. The only saving grace was Mohammad Hafeez’s stupendous 197 in the first innings, while Asad Shafiq (137) impressed in the second-innings. What this performance underlined was the continued fragility of the batting line-up, which is still prone to collapse even with most batsmen being in fine form throughout the season.

Pakistan now start a long run of limited-over games through to the World Cup. New Zealand will be the opponents for a two-match Twenty20 series followed by five One-Day Internationals (ODI) in the UAE, while the two teams also face off in New Zealand for a two-match ODI series just before the mega event kicks off. Pakistan are yet to record an ODI series win in 2014. The welcome return of Younus Khan to the ODI squad may help Pakistan rectify this situation, especially since New Zealand have rested the formidable trio of McCullum, Tim Southee and Trent Boult. However, what was inexplicable in the squad selected for the first two ODIs was the dropping of Fawad Alam. The batsman has been Pakistan second-highest run-scorer in ODIs this year and despite going through a lean patch in the last series against Australia, his absence remains highly questionable. The selectors must rectify this situation by bringing him back for the final three ODIs. The preparations for the World Cup begin in earnest with the upcoming ODI series, however, not playing arguably your most consistent batsman of the year raises some serious questions.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd,  2014.

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