KARACHI: Jan 6, 2023: An approach of Pakistan cricket team and management resulted in missing of a golden opportunity to win the second Karachi test match and equalise series against New Zealand.
Pakistan needed 319 runs to win the test and it had 93 overs in hand . Had Pakistan team played positive game it was not a difficult target . New Zealand team had thrown a challenge on Pakistan and declared its second inning at 277 for 5 wickets . But Pakistan as usual played a lethargic game and kept run-making pace much slower than required to win the game . This resulted in missing the target of 319 runs by 15 runs only.
One wonders what Babar XI got by playing a draw game against New Zealand when it had already lost the first game .
Pakistan only achieved one thing from second test and it was superb inning of Sarfraz Ahmad . He made a century and played a key role in saving the team from whitewash.
Updated at 12.30 pm today
With lethargic attitude Pakistan at lunch had scored only 125 runs and tis lost five wickets.
Pakistan’s top five bats returned to the pavilion for only 125 runs and put Pakistan in a difficult position.
A Shafiq got out for zero . he faced only 2 balls. M Hamza also preferred to go back to pavilion for duck. He faced 9 balls. Imamul Haq made only 12 score off 26 balls. Shan Masood made 35 runs off 66 balls.
Captain Babar Azam who had made only 24 runs and got run out in the first inning could score only 27 runs from 41 balls. In the second inning there was no Imam on the other side to instigate him to get him run out.
S Shakeel is playing at 15 runs . Sarfraz Ahmad is playing at 29 runs. He faced 33 balls. Sarfraz Ahmad is only hope on the crease for Pakistan to stay on and play till the end to save Pakistan from white wash.
In total Pakistan made 125 runs from 38 runs and need
There is many reasons of Pakistan’s continuous failure in test cricket. One of many others is incompetent caption. Babar Azam is leading Pakistan in all three formats . His capacity as a captain is under question but for reasons known to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is continuing Babar Azam as captain of Pakistan’s cricket team.
Since his becoming captain, Pakistan has lost in almost all major event of cricket . Now when so called experienced Ramiz Raja is out of office of PCB chairman and Najam Sethi is in and he is making wise decision for restoration of Pakistan cricket , PCB should immediately remove Babar Azam as captain. He should be kept in Pakistan XI as a batsman.
After England Pakistan’s poor performance against New Zealand in test cricket is sending GB disappointing signals to Pakistani cricket fans and only solution to this problem is removal of Babar Azam as captain of national cricket team.