It has been the same story for Pakistan during the last 26 years since they last won a Test match in Australia making the Australia vs Pakistan test series one-sided. Each time the team travels to the unforsaken land, the series ends up being a whitewash. Yet each time Pakistan tries to punch above its weight with silver linings being enjoyed from the loss claiming that this time we did better than before, yet the series ends up being a whitewash.
Pakistan has employed every strategy they could have come up with during the last 14 years in Australia. They lost the 2010 series due to poor fielding and batting, 2017 was lost due to poor bowling by the senior bowlers, and 2019 was lost due to an inexperienced pacy attack.
Setting up for the tour
This time around Pakistan went packing with top domestic performers irrespective of how fast they had been bowling, a criteria that they had kept during the last tour but yet ended miserably. Injuries to Naseem Shah, Ihsanullah, and Mohammad Hasnain forced Pakistan to go with the top domestic performers.
Usually, one gets an idea of how Pakistan would most likely perform in Australia from the first tour game that takes place. On the flat surface of Manuka Oval, Pakistan took on the PM XI in a four day game. Pakistan would end up scoring 391, with the help of 201 from the new Test captain, Shan Masood. In response the PM XI scored 367 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. A storm would cause the game to end a day earlier.
The game would lead to Pakistan’s mystery spinner, Abrar Ahmed, suffering a leg injury, thus depleting the bowling assets.
But the tour’s first controversy would come when the new team director Mohammad Hafeez expressed his disappointment with the playing conditions that they were given during the practice game. The surface was similar to the one that Australia got in Rawalpindi just a few months ago, which neutralized the pace of attack of both sides. At the time it was Pat Cummins who came out expressing his disappointment towards the pitch in the first test.
Also Read: David Warner To Retire From Test Cricket: Who Would Be David Warner’s Replacement
The First Test; Setting the tone
The first Test game in Australia is always a big indicator of how the series will be played. While everyone knows that Australia will play the same pace trio who never drop their speeds with Nathan Lyon providing a spin cover, it’s always the Away team that is being focussed on, with what new arsenal they would be coming in to attack the Australians with.
Pakistan came packing with Shaheen Afridi leading the pace attack, along with two debutants and Faheem Ashraf. As soon as Australia come out to bat, the Pakistani fast bowling attack is revealed as a medium-pace attack, with Khurram, Faheem, and Shaheen just managing paces of 125-135 kph, and with Aamir Jamal touching 140 kph on occasions.
While Khurram maintained tight lines and lengths, it was Aamir Jamal’s wayward bowling that would pick him a 6fer with Australia managing 487 runs. Credit went to the usual Pakistan fielding as well that found ways to either drop catches or not go for the chances.
As Pakistan would come out to bat, much focus was given as to why Rizwan was benched for an underperforming keeper batsman called Sarfraz Ahmed. Pakistani cricket and its politics always cease to amaze fans.
The fourth innings ends with Pakistan collapsing and just managing 89 runs. The silver lining from this test was of course Aamir Jamal emerging as a pace bowling talent.
The Second Test; It is Boxing day
A lot is happening before the second test could take place. Hafeez’s request for a second practice match is catered to with Pakistan now playing Victoria XI in a two-day practice game. As expected, the batting does well but the bowling fails to pick 10 wickets.
Meanwhile, in the Australian camp, the focus has been the Khawaja Vs ICC row where the ICC has not allowed Usman Khawaja to raise awareness of the humanitarian disaster going on in Gaza. The Australian players support Khawaja, and Pakistan backs Khawaja, but when Shan Masood is asked to comment on this, his focus is on the series.
There are also reports coming in that Hafeez has now imposed a fine of $500 on any player caught napping in the dressing room. While on the injury list, another player is added with Khurram Shezad out of the series
It’s Christmas, and the Australian players bring out their families to the indoor grounds. Pakistan decides to bring presents in the form of sweets for the children, and the two teams interact amicably.
Pakistan manages to drop a few but still restricts the Australians to 318 runs with 52 extras. Pakistan would then post 264 runs, where Aamir Jamal would again rise to the occasion with a cameo of 33 runs towards the end of the innings. But the main focus would soon shift towards Mir Hamza who is coming in as the replacement of Khurram Shezad.
With Shaheen back in his rhythm and Mir Hamza swinging the ball in and away, soon Australia found itself 4 for 16 as Travis Head departed the first ball as Hamza swung the ball in and cleaned up his stumps/ Mitch Marsh would then come out surviving the hattrick ball.
Soon, Pakistan again started dropping dollies but still managed to get the Australians all out for 262. Not with a target of 317 sets, Pakistan was not sniffing a chance to end the winless streak. However, Pakistan would not be able to chase down the target and lose by 79 runs. Incidentally, those 52 extras from the first innings came back to bite them really hard.
The Third Test; A dead rubber
The series has been won by Australia already, but in the World Test Championship, every Test game matters.
Hafeez is again in the limelight this time for criticizing the technology in use and claiming that the better team had lost. A statement that Pat Cummins had to deal with just a few months ago when Mohammad Kaif claimed a similar thing when India lost the World Cup finals to the same Australian captain. This time around Cummins could only smirk on these comments when asked by the Australian press.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Hafeez misses his flight to Sydney. One wonders if a $500 fine would apply on him.
Interestingly, while Hafeez is giving statements upon statements, the Pakistani captain, Shan Masood is managing to keep good relations with his communication skills which are praised by everyone around. Not only that, but his captaincy and field strategies are also praised.
In the third Test, Pakistan finally managed to go past the 300 margin and post a first-innings score of 313 runs thanks to some brilliant batting by Mohammad Rizwan. But it would still be Aamir Jamal taking the limelight with his 82 runs innings where he is able to showcase his aggressive batting and prove that he is an allrounder.
With one over left at the day’s end, Australia would decide against a nightwatchman as they sent in their opening pair one final time as David Warner walked out under the guard of the Pakistani players. Usman Khawaja would also march up from behind to join his partner one final time at the crease.
Pakistan would still manage to drop Warner but this time they would get him out again for 34 runs. Australia would manage only 299 runs, giving Pakistan a lead for the first time ever in the series, and also giving hope again to them for a win. The star performer was again Aamir Jamal with his 6 wickets.
In response, there is a total batting collapse by Pakistan who only managed to post 115 runs, and a target of 130 is set. Warner would score 57 runs and help Australia manage an easy clean sweep.
As usual, another Australian clean sweep and Pakistan has to look for silver linings. This time the captaincy of Shan Masood is praised and Aamir Jamal’s performance is praised to the point where he even gets the Man of the Match award in a losing cause.
Without any further statements by Hafeez, the team departs to New Zealand to play a T20 series. The wait for a Test win in Australia continues.
Also Read:
