Pakistan haven’t gained a house Take a look at match since 2022, with their newest innings-and-47-run embarrassment in Multan a seventh defeat in a winless run of 11.
The hosts appeared in fine condition having scored 556 of their first innings towards England, solely to capitulate with bat and ball on day 4 earlier than the guests sealed an emphatic win on Friday.
Pakistan haven’t solely been inconsistent on the sector, however their administration has additionally gone by plenty of adjustments over that span, with the Pakistan Cricket Board having had three chairmen, two Take a look at captains and 6 everlasting or short-term head coaches.
In white-ball cricket too, Pakistan have been knocked in the course of the group stage of each the 50-over World Cup final 12 months and T20 World Cup this summer season, the place they suffered a shock defeat to affiliate nation the USA.
Dwell Take a look at Cricket
Tuesday fifteenth October 5:30am
Assessing the workforce’s struggles, Sky Sports activities‘ Nasser Hussain stated: “I feel it is just a little bit with justification [the criticism].
“Just because, traditionally, Pakistan are a mercurial aspect. They go up and down, win video games, lose video games, they will be out of World Cups after which out of the blue in a World Cup ultimate.
“However really, of late with Pakistan cricket – the 2 most up-to-date World Cups and now six Checks in a row – they’ve misplaced.
“It’s all down, and it all has a Groundhog Day feel to it. They do okay in the first innings, and then second time round, the openers and the top order fail, leaving the middle order to try and dig them out of a hole, like what happened late last night and into today [in Multan].”
Pakistan captain Masood ‘damage’ by historic loss
After his aspect grew to become the primary in Take a look at historical past to lose by an innings after scoring 500 or extra of their first innings, Pakistan captain Shan Masood stated the stated have been “hurt by the result”.
Data damaged by England within the first Take a look at match towards Pakistan in Multan
“Where I’d like the team to improve is, no matter what the pitch is like, we must find a way out,” Masood stated.
“England showed us the way in this Test, you have to give huge credit to them.
“We’re damage by the consequence, damage as a nation, however the fantastic thing about the sport is it at all times provides you one other likelihood. The short turnaround [to the second Test, starting Tuesday] may be helpful to us and we’re wanting ahead to it.
“I never try to shy away from responsibility. What hurts is that we’re not getting the results that Pakistan cricket deserves. We are all trying hard, we’re going to give it our all and try to turn this around.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Pakistan captain Shan Masood reaches his first Take a look at century as captain towards England
Hussain added: “I don’t blame Shan Masood. You have to look at what goes on behind the scenes in Pakistan cricket.
“Identify me one sporting setting, workforce or a enterprise that does properly with fixed change behind the scenes, fixed adjustments in chairman of selectors, chief executives, captains, coaches.
“If there’s constant changes, there’s constant messages that are coming in that are different, and that consistency that was always lacking in Pakistan cricket goes even more out of the window.
“They’ve structural points of their cricket, and that is the world sport’s fault as properly. It is not their fault.
“We talk about the big three [Australia, England and India] and the finances they get, with other sides falling behind. Pakistan is one of those sides that’s falling behind.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Nasser Hussain debates who within the England squad would get replaced if Ben Stokes is match sufficient to return for the second Take a look at towards Pakistan
‘Strain positively on horrendously off form Babar’
One of many massive issues dealing with Pakistan forward of the second Take a look at – reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket from 5.30am on Tuesday (first ball, 6am) – is the type of star batter Babar Azam.
The 29-year-old former Take a look at captain managed scores of simply 30 and 5 within the first Take a look at, making it now 9 Checks with out a half-century on extraordinarily batting-friendly, flat pitches.
Their prime seam bowlers, Shaheen Afridi (1-120) and Naseem Shah (2-157), have been additionally under par whereas front-line spinner Abrar Ahmed (0-174) went wicketless by his 35 overs earlier than leaving the sport to sickness.
“They do have problems,” Hussain stated. “Their finest participant – a world-class participant – Babar Azam is horrendously off form.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
England proceed to dominate on day 4 of their first Take a look at match towards Pakistan by claiming two wickets in two balls
“It’s nine Test matches without a half century – on these pitches!
“Perhaps that is psychological, with every thing that he is been by, giving up the white-ball captaincy?
“In this part of the world, if you are Babar Azam and you go two games without a half century or a hundred, the pressure builds, let alone eight, nine Test matches. The pressure is on him, definitely.”
Hussain added: “Spin hasn’t seemed to be much of a threat. Where are they with their spinners?
“Traditionally, we might have performed towards Abdul Qadir, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed. They’ve at all times produced nice thriller spinners.
“And express pace: you wouldn’t say any of their three seamers that they are playing at the moment are express pace.
“That is a harmful mixture. You’ve gotten a prime order that is failing within the second innings and also you’re undecided what pitch to organize that fits your bowling assault.”
First Test: Multan – October 7-11 – England won by an innings and 47 runs
Second Test: Multan – October 15-19
Third Test: Rawalpindi – October 24-28
Every match from the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup is also live on Sky Sports from October 3-20 with Australia aiming for a third straight title and seventh overall, and England seeking to triumph for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2009.
Watch day one of the second Test between Pakistan and England in Multan, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 5.30am on Tuesday, ahead of play starting from 6am. Stream with NOW
Fabio Wardley’s huge rematch with Frazer Clarke is on the epic Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol bill on Saturday October 12 live on Sky Sports Box Office. E-book Wardley v Clarke 2 and Beterbiev v Bivol now!
