Last Updated on 2 hours ago by Charbel Coorey
Pakistan’s Test tour of England has got off to a very rocky start at Headingley, so much so they have been labelled the ‘worst Pakistan side in 50 years’. Scyld Berry’s scathing feature in The Telegraph adds to Pakistan’s woes as the visitors face a fight to avoid an innings defeat against England at Headingley.
It’s not as if England have been setting the world on fire, either. Seven defeats in their last nine Tests resulted in significant change, with Ben Stokes retiring and Brendon McCullum sacked as coach. But, the hosts have barely had to raise a sweat against a Pakistan side lacking impact and execution in all three facets of the game.
“Pakistan’s pace bowling has declined even more [than their batting], both in standard and pace. From the country that specialises in military dictatorships has come a Test attack of military medium,” wrote Berry.
Current Pakistan team labelled their worst in 50 years as they face heavy defeat against England at Headingley
Pakistan came into this series on the back of a Test win against West Indies. Babar Azam’s absence due to injury is a blow that the team has been unable to overcome thus far, but even the new captain has found the going tough in recent years. The batting looks thin and they’ve struggled to put consistent performances together over an extended period of time.
“Patriots may be quick to assume that England’s re-booted, or rather re-Rooted, Test team are back on course after the Brendon McCullum era, or error, with a new and ready-made number three in Jordan Cox and a bowling attack that will blow ageing Australians off the park next summer,” wrote Berry.
“It is safer to say, however, that Pakistan’s Test side has never been poorer in the professional era of the last half-century – and that the gap between Pakistan and India in cricket is widening at the same rate as that between rich and poor everywhere.”
Pakistan are also struggling on the bowling front and continue to make errors in the field. They lacked penetration and control in the first innings as England piled on 409 in 89.5 overs. Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali conceded 222 between them in 40.5 overs as Mohammad Abbas (1/78 off 25 balls) and Ali Usman (5/95 off 24 overs) lacked support.
Former Pakistan cricketer Urooj Mumtaz said the attack is not built to take 20 wickets. “For me it was always going to be how and who in that Pakistan lineup is going to pick up 20 wickets and that’s how you win Test matches,” she said, as quoted by Wisden.
“Abbas’s pace was down to the early 70s mph, with the ball then starting to do absolutely nothing when the sun came out towards the latter part [of day one]. But you can’t rely on him to get you 60 wickets to win this Test series. Far from it. What you need is a bowling attack that can bowl well in tandem and support him.”
At the time of writing, Pakistan are in all sorts of trouble at 76/6 in their second innings, still trailing England by 162 runs.
