Test defeat

Pakistan’s stunning triumph in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle last month was hailed as one of their best wins in red-ball cricket in recent times. With skipper Babar Azam continuing to show his masterclass and young opener Abdullah Shafique breaking several records on his way to a match-winning 160 not out, Pakistan came back from the jaws of defeat to go one up in the series. But just when it seemed that Pakistan's Test fortunes were rising, they surrendered meekly in the second and final Test to squander a perfect opportunity to beat the Sri Lankans in their own backyard. Riding on the heroics of rookie spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, the hosts won by a mammoth 246 runs, their biggest Test victory in terms of runs against Pakistan.

Pakistan cricket is known for its highs and lows. That aspect of their game was once again aptly underlined during the tour of Sri Lanka. While in the first Test Pakistan fought back like gladiators after being almost written off, they were completely clueless in the second match. The defeat has once again exposed several chinks in Pakistan’s armour. Pakistan’s top order seems solid thanks to Babar and Shafique but there are weak links in the middle. Seasoned batter and former captain Azhar Ali has been, for quite some time, a pale shadow of his former self. Pakistan’s bowling, too, was unable to impress much in the second Test especially after an injured Shaheen Shah Afridi was forced to miss the series decider. A lot of questions are being raised as to why the under-performing Hasan Ali continues to make the playing eleven.

Pakistan’s failure to show a much-needed killer instinct in the final match has left them with faint hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final. The defeat leaves them in fifth place on the WTC points table. Pakistan will need to beat their remaining Test series against England and New Zealand to have any hopes of earning a place in the WTC title clash. The good thing is that both the series will be held at home. But Pakistan will still need to raise their game to conquer the likes of England and New Zealand even on home soil. Proven match winners like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Abdullah Shafique would again be Pakistan's trump cards. But other team-mates will need to give their best if Pakistan are to win Test matches with consistency.