4 recent Pakistan batting collapses on day five in Tests

Pakistan lost nine wickets in the final session of the Hamilton Test to create a ‘world-record’ — no team in 140 years of Test cricket had ever lost nine in the last session of a Test. From eyeing a win or at worst a draw, Azhar Ali’s eleven crashed spectacularly leaving almost nine full overs of the post-tea session on the fifth day unused.

Alarmingly though, the sensational collapse at the Seddon Park isn’t an aberration. In recent years, the most ‘stable’ batting line-up in country’s Test history, has imploded on the fifth day of Test matches with an unerring regularity, masked by the team’s rise to number one in ICC rankings, a closer introspection indicates the emergence of an ugly trend that has almost gone unnoticed.

While the fourth innings heists in Sharjah 2014 and Pallekele 2015 against Sri Lanka are indeed extraordinary, the batting unit with arguably the most experienced quartet in Pakistan’s Test history Azhar Ali, Younus Khan, Misbahul Haq and Asad Shafiq has crumbled in a heap in the dying moments of a Test repeatedly.

Here is a list of four, fifth day meltdowns that have exposed the frailties ruefully.

Galle 2014 versus Sri Lanka

Junaid Khan was the last wicket to fall. PHOTO: AFP

Pakistan entered the final day of the Test at four for one in their second innings needing to bat out the final day or at least a major chunk of the final day overs to avoid a defeat after Sri Lanka had collected a useful 82-run lead in the first innings.

But the alarm bells had started ringing from the outset as the tourists tried to ‘occupy the crease’ and stonewall their way through the day. By the time Younus Khan fell, Pakistan had crawled to 55 for four in 36.3 overs.

Azhar and Misbah stonewalled for 21 overs before both fell on the same score. Sarfraz Ahmed tried a change in approach scoring a rapid-fire 52 but the usually brittle Pakistan tail lived up to its reputation as Sarfraz was left stranded at one end, Pakistan folded for 180, batting out 74 overs on the final day.

Despite Sarfraz’s innings, Pakistan lost their last six wickets for the addition of 69 runs in 22.4 overs. Sri Lanka completed the 99-run chase just in the nick of time as gloom descended both on Pakistani faces and the Galle International Stadium.

Abu Dhabi 2015 versus England

Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik complete a run. PHOTO: AFP

For four days, the Zayed Stadium’s pitch bore the brunt of the big bats of Pakistan and English batsmen as Shoaib Malik and Alastair Cook posted heroic double centuries. The pundits were screaming their lungs out over the placid nature of the pitch and just when almost everyone had given up, the game took a dramatic turn on the final day.

England declared their first innings with a 75-run lead on the final morning and with the pitch still incredibly flat, the match was expected to meander to a draw in a couple of hours. But the fickle natured Pakistan batsmen were soon caught in an almighty battle as England started chipping away with their wickets.

After losing three early wickets, Younus and Misbah took Pakistan to 113 for three before a rash shot by Younus dislodged him. The hosts lost their last seven wickets for 60 runs to fold for 173, in an erringly similar end to Galle, England were set exactly the same 99 runs target.

However, lady luck smiled on Misbah’s charges as the light faded away with England a mere 25 runs short of the victory target.

Birmingham 2016 versus England

Azhar Ali flicks one towards leg side. PHOTO: AFP

Pakistan dominated the Edgbaston Test last August for the first three days. After gaining a 103-run lead, the bowlers’ let-down by a comical ‘catching’ performance in the second innings allowed England to blaze their way back in the game and set Pakistan a target of 343 in 84 overs on the final day of the Test.

While the chase was never on, Pakistan’s top-order batsmen went about their task of drawing the Test admirably, lunch was taken with the tourists well placed at 69 for one.

Sami Aslam defends. PHOTO: AFP

But a spurt of reverse swing aided by laden-footed batsmen blew away the experienced middle-order in one session; Pakistan lost six wickets in the middle session before England cantered to a win with 13 overs to spare on the final day.

Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for 122 runs in 40.3 overs, including a back-breaking mini collapse of four wickets (Misbah, Asad, Sarfraz and Sami Aslam) for one run.

Hamilton 2016 versus New Zealand

A dejected Asad Shafiq walks back. PHOTO: AFP

Caught in two minds Pakistan’s last nine batsmen indeed fell like nine pins in the final session of the Seddon Park Test yesterday.

A chase of 369 had looked attainable after a solid 131 start, but the attempted shift in momentum saw Azhar, Babar Azam, Sami and Sarfraz perish.

Kane Williamson smelt blood and so did his pack of bowlers as the second new ball was summoned as soon as it was due.

Asad, Younus and Sohail Khan couldn’t resist the pressure and succumbed tamely before for the umpteenth time on New Zealand soil a ‘W’ blew away the tail, conversely though he wasn’t wearing a Pakistan shirt or dishing it out to New Zealand tail. Wagner waltzed through Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz and Imran Khan in a blink of an eye as the tourists wondered what had hit them.

Southee appeals against a Pakistan batsman. PHOTO: AFP

Meanwhile, not even one of the four tracks could be blamed for these fifth day meltdowns. More than the bowling or the state of the wicket, it is the state of the Pakistan batsmen’s mind that wreaks havoc under trying circumstances in the closing stages of a Test.

The batting malaise is even more inexplicable considering the rich experience of the batting line-up; the seasoned quartet has been together for six long years yet mimic teenagers when asked to bat out the final day. Pakistan didn’t have Misbah to grind it out at Hamilton but even his presence made little difference to the outcomes at Galle, Abu Dhabi and Birmingham.

On a passing note let us remind you of another grim collapse that was forgotten by the eventual result in the day-night Dubai Test against the West Indies last month; this one on day four of the Test in search of quick runs.

From 77 for two, Pakistan crashed to 123 all out, losing their last eight wickets for 46 runs in 14.4 overs. To sum it up, none of the two approaches, stonewalling or dash for quick runs seem to work, if the ‘forces combine’, a Pakistan batting collapse becomes as inevitable as inflation in the country. No degree of stability can surmount it.