No surprise

Pakistan’s batting is mainly to be blamed for loss

After Perth, Pakistan lost in Melbourne too. And a whitewash now looms large as the visitors brace themselves for the third and final Test in Sydney from January 3. The loss in Melbourne was no surprise. If there was anything surprising, it was rather the smaller margin of defeat — 79 runs as against 360 in the opening Test — and also that Pakistan were in sight of victory at one stage while chasing 317. The target was, frankly, very tough, given that the highest-ever successful fourth innings run chase at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was 332-7 that England managed in 1928; no other team has ever got past 300. Still a collapse from 219 for five to 237 all-out is appalling, although it’s pretty characteristic of an unpredictable Pakistan.

Pakistan’s batting is mainly to be blamed for the loss. Except for skipper Shan Masood (who hit half centuries in both innings) and Abdullah Shafique (who scored a half century in the first innings), no other batsmen really looked the part. Experienced Babar Azam and Muhammad Rizwan failed to live up to the expectations. Babar, in particular, has failed to come up with anything of note in the Test series so far. A vital dropped catch by Abdullah Shafique — that of Mitchel Marsh who went on to score 96 run from 20 when floored — also needs a particular mention. It was not the only chance in that match that Shafique squandered. In the first innings too, he had dropped opener David Warner.

With the three-Test rubber already lost, what Pakistan can only manage is a face-saving victory in the final match. But Pakistan’s recent performance — as well as their historic struggle in Australian conditions — suggests that even avoiding a whitewash by at least drawing the third Test would be an achievement.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2023.

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