It was always a question when it turned against Pakistan, given their inability to play quality spin bowling for the past few years. And it did. The spin-wickets backfired for the Pakistan team, and it has already cost them a couple of matches. The last match of the previous World Test Championship cycle, which Pakistan ended at the very bottom of the Points Table, and the second game of the new WTC cycle.
The spin-wickets have seen Pakistan win three out of six games ever since they decided to bank on their spinners after the disastrous innings defeat to England in the first Test last year. One of the defeats was the said match, which brought them down to the bottom of the previous cycle’s table. They lost to the West Indies in the second game, where they scored 154 and 133 across two innings.
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How spin-wickets backfired for the Pakistan team
This exploited many players in the team who were unable to play quality spin bowling. Add this, that Pakistan domestic has the opposite; high scoring draws, which brought so many batters ‘star stats’ that social media fans call out for. It is unfortunate that a country that once played spinners extremely well is now falling to pick up the spinners, even at home. For that, domestic cricket needs to change.
The defeat to South Africa in the second game was no different. It was not so shocking anymore. In fact, the shock is how apparent Pakistan’s collapse has become. Pakistan managed to dig their own grave on home territory, on a field that was intended to flatter their spinners, and then give the shovel to South Africa.
To support their spin trio, Pakistan spent days crafting a pitch. It appeared as though they had prepped it for South Africa by the conclusion of Day Two. Keshav Maharaj and colleagues used the same surface that was meant to strangle the Proteas as a playground.
It wasn’t even shocking when Pakistan fell once more, losing five wickets for 17 runs. Muscle memory was the cause. While Pakistan’s highly anticipated hitters folded like cheap umbrellas in a drizzle.
Collapses in Pakistan are becoming more of a national pastime than a tactical failure. Someone sets off the self-destruct fuse each time they gain momentum. This crew seems to be afraid of stability, as though disintegration is a part of who they are.
This sequence, which featured top-order resistance, middle-order drift, and tail-order surrender, was yet another master class in self-sabotage. Rinse, repeat, regret.
South Africa was ready. They made adjustments since they understood what to anticipate. They changed roles, adjusted tactics, and played to the circumstances.
Pakistan, on the other hand, batted as if they were expecting miracles. Their plans finish in panic and begin at a toss. Reactionary alterations were made in Shan Masood’s field. His bowling motions, perplexed. His leadership was more symbolic than tactical.
Never-ending excuses, and no one is willing to accept their mistakes
Following the loss, Azhar Mahmood stated what Pakistani coaches typically say: “We discussed this in camp.” Indeed, since 2016, they have been “discussing” collapses. In a way, the collapses have just gotten more creative.
Every news conference held after a game sounds like a rerun. “We’ll discover.” “We’ll put in a lot of effort.” “It’s unacceptable.” However, nothing is altered. Coaches come and go, players shift, and leaders change, but the fragility never goes away.
There is no lack of skill in Pakistani cricket. It suffers from a lack of strength. South Africa arrived, examined Pakistan’s advantages, and used them. As usual, Pakistan arrived with a lot of noise and departed with justifications.
Pakistan is still debating who is to blame instead of actually admitting to their mistakes and sorting out the issues.
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