Why everything isn't right about Pakistan cricket in Test
Captain Misbahul Haq will have to make important decisions as the team is set to travel for difficult tour Down Under
PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Pakistan suffered a rather shocking defeat in the ninth match of the series on Thursday, as West Indies won the third and final Test by five wickets to end the tour on the high.
It is a sad ending for Misbahul Haq on Pakistan’s makeshift home, where the 42-year-old played his last Test, but ended on the wrong side.
Many will argue that it is not a big deal if the team, which received continuous thrashing throughout the tour, would win a match, but all of those people are actually missing a point.
The Misbah-led unit could’ve won a Test series in England just a few months back, which took them to the top of Test ranking, the first time since the official International Cricket Council rankings were introduced.
However, it is quite surprising as the number eight team in the world gave the Green Caps such a fight in the format where the team have dominated every opposition on these venues.
Infact, in all honesty, Jason Holder’s men should have actually sealed the series with win in Sharjah, as they narrowly missed out on famous triumph in the first day-night Test in Dubai.
Day four: West Indies on brink of consolation victory
Barring the second match in Abu Dhabi, this young West Indian side, which according to my one one of fellow writer before the series, ‘will propose a challenge for the fans, journalists and commentators, since barring a couple the rest are totally unrecognised names’, remained highly competitive, and they deserve a credit for that.
But the question is where did it all go wrong for Pakistan? Misbah needs to answer this before he brings down the curtains on his illustrious career.
For instance, it is hard to understand how and why Rahat Ali was given just one match on these conditions, where he delivered for the team before Mohammad Amir returned to the Test cricket.
The 28-year-old was among the pick of the bowlers in the England tour as well, and he picked four wickets in the only match of the series, the same match where Misbah’s men dominated from the start till end. But even then, he was dropped for the final match. Can anyone tell us why?
Then there is the case of playing young all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, instead of someone like Imad Wasim.
Nawaz emerged onto the scene with some brilliant bowling performances in the first edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), after which he was gradually included, first in the T20I team, then in the ODI team, and now finally in the Test team.
However, it is clear that captain Misbah does not have trust in the ability of the 22-year-old, who was given just 63 overs with the ball in six innings, on traditionally a low and turning pitches.
If so is the case, then why was Nawaz picked for the New Zealand tour?
To make his case worse, the Rawalpindi-born all-rounder made just 50 runs in four innings with the bat, at an extremely disappointing average of 12.50, which means he was surely not picked on the batting performances.
Those numbers would be less disappointing if the young man would have not been up against a rather average bowling attack, and an inexperienced batting line up, but so was not the case.
It is also quite surprising as to why Nawaz was picked over Imad in the first place if Misbah doesn’t trust his bowling, because Imad has a far superior record in first-class cricket in batting than Nawaz.
With Nawaz misfiring with the bat, and Misbah’s lack of giving him the ball too much, it is not helping Pakistan’s cause of finding a real all-rounder, who can bat at seven, and can bowl a handful of overs to support Yasir Shah.
Another problem is with the batting order, where our two out of top three, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq, are constantly finding it hard to deal with incoming deliveries.
Shanon Gabriel exposed them on more than one occasion, and going into series against New Zealand and Australia, the duo will be up against the best fast-bowlers in the world, and that too in conditions which will suit them the most.
The team will now depart for New Zealand from the United Arab Emirates, which awaits the answers of more questions from Misbah and from coach Mickey Arthur.
Questions such as whether to include Rahat, instead of Amir or Wahab Riaz or along with them, or whether to include Sohail Khan to give variety to the bowling attack.
The question such as whether to include Sharjeel Khan and drop Nawaz, and bring back Azhar at three, or should he keep the youngster in the mix, and give him more chance in the testing condition.
The answers of all those questions will decide if Misbah, who is the most successful captain in Pakistan’s Test history, will go down on a high, or will he, like others, will depart as a man who stayed too long for his own good.
Pakistan suffered a rather shocking defeat in the ninth match of the series on Thursday, as West Indies won the third and final Test by five wickets to end the tour on the high.
It is a sad ending for Misbahul Haq on Pakistan’s makeshift home, where the 42-year-old played his last Test, but ended on the wrong side.
Many will argue that it is not a big deal if the team, which received continuous thrashing throughout the tour, would win a match, but all of those people are actually missing a point.
Misbah laments 'mistakes' as West Indies claim five-wicket victory
The Misbah-led unit could’ve won a Test series in England just a few months back, which took them to the top of Test ranking, the first time since the official International Cricket Council rankings were introduced.
However, it is quite surprising as the number eight team in the world gave the Green Caps such a fight in the format where the team have dominated every opposition on these venues.
Infact, in all honesty, Jason Holder’s men should have actually sealed the series with win in Sharjah, as they narrowly missed out on famous triumph in the first day-night Test in Dubai.
Day four: West Indies on brink of consolation victory
Barring the second match in Abu Dhabi, this young West Indian side, which according to my one one of fellow writer before the series, ‘will propose a challenge for the fans, journalists and commentators, since barring a couple the rest are totally unrecognised names’, remained highly competitive, and they deserve a credit for that.
But the question is where did it all go wrong for Pakistan? Misbah needs to answer this before he brings down the curtains on his illustrious career.
For instance, it is hard to understand how and why Rahat Ali was given just one match on these conditions, where he delivered for the team before Mohammad Amir returned to the Test cricket.
The 28-year-old was among the pick of the bowlers in the England tour as well, and he picked four wickets in the only match of the series, the same match where Misbah’s men dominated from the start till end. But even then, he was dropped for the final match. Can anyone tell us why?
Then there is the case of playing young all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, instead of someone like Imad Wasim.
Nawaz emerged onto the scene with some brilliant bowling performances in the first edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), after which he was gradually included, first in the T20I team, then in the ODI team, and now finally in the Test team.
However, it is clear that captain Misbah does not have trust in the ability of the 22-year-old, who was given just 63 overs with the ball in six innings, on traditionally a low and turning pitches.
If so is the case, then why was Nawaz picked for the New Zealand tour?
To make his case worse, the Rawalpindi-born all-rounder made just 50 runs in four innings with the bat, at an extremely disappointing average of 12.50, which means he was surely not picked on the batting performances.
Those numbers would be less disappointing if the young man would have not been up against a rather average bowling attack, and an inexperienced batting line up, but so was not the case.
It is also quite surprising as to why Nawaz was picked over Imad in the first place if Misbah doesn’t trust his bowling, because Imad has a far superior record in first-class cricket in batting than Nawaz.
With Nawaz misfiring with the bat, and Misbah’s lack of giving him the ball too much, it is not helping Pakistan’s cause of finding a real all-rounder, who can bat at seven, and can bowl a handful of overs to support Yasir Shah.
Another problem is with the batting order, where our two out of top three, Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq, are constantly finding it hard to deal with incoming deliveries.
Shanon Gabriel exposed them on more than one occasion, and going into series against New Zealand and Australia, the duo will be up against the best fast-bowlers in the world, and that too in conditions which will suit them the most.
The team will now depart for New Zealand from the United Arab Emirates, which awaits the answers of more questions from Misbah and from coach Mickey Arthur.
Questions such as whether to include Rahat, instead of Amir or Wahab Riaz or along with them, or whether to include Sohail Khan to give variety to the bowling attack.
The question such as whether to include Sharjeel Khan and drop Nawaz, and bring back Azhar at three, or should he keep the youngster in the mix, and give him more chance in the testing condition.
The answers of all those questions will decide if Misbah, who is the most successful captain in Pakistan’s Test history, will go down on a high, or will he, like others, will depart as a man who stayed too long for his own good.