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Flawed Strategy Puts Pakistan On The Backfoot

Saleque Sufi | banglanews24.com
Update: 2020-08-14 14:54:45
Flawed Strategy Puts Pakistan On The Backfoot Photo collected

Pakistan England Test Series
Second Test Played at Ageas Bowl Southampton From August 13-17, 2020
Brief Score at Stumps of Day One 1
Pakistan 1 st Innings 126/5 in 45.4 Overs ( Abid Ali 60, Babar Azam 25*,Azhar Ali 20, James Anderson 2/ 35, SM Curran 1/23, CR Woakes 1/26, Stuart Broad 1/31 )

Pakistan Won the Toss and Elected to Bat

On a rain interrupted day England managing taking 5 Pakistan wickets looks in tight control reducing them to pathetic looking 126/5. Not sure how much their talented batsman Babar Azam can contribute with only Rizwan and the genuine tail enders at his disposal. No score below 250 plus can keep them in the match come, what, may.

Cannot agree at all with the decision of Pakistan think tank replacing quality leg spinner all rounder Shadab Khan with long term out of international match Fawad Alom in a do or die match of the series against England. Pakistan losing the first test by 3 wickets after dominating the match till last phase is already trailing 0-1 in the series. Flawed strategy let it cornered at 126/5 on a rain impacted day one of the very important Second test of the three matches series. Quality Pakistan batsman Babar Azam (25*) and last recognized batsman wicket keeper Mohammad Rizwan (4*) were at the crease when stumps were drawn after only 45.4 overs being bold. Perhaps rain rescued Pakistan for the day at least. If match was not interrupted off and on Pakistan could be bundled out cheaply and England could have forged ahead by stumps on day one.

England was forced bringing in Jack Crawley in the top order as their star all rounder Ben Stokes had to fly out to New Zealand to attend his ailing father. England also took the correct decision in replacing Jofra Archer with pace bowling all rounder Sam Cuuran to bolster late middle order batting. Curran seams and swings, ideal for the condition at Southampton. Pakistan dropped leg spinner Shadab and brought in batsman Fawad Alom , who did not play a test match for over a decade. Experts argued that Shadab did not perform all that bad at Manchester scoring 45 in the first innings, taking 2 wickets in 3 overs. He was under bowled in the match. Yasir Shadab comination could win the match. No country now possess such a quality wicket taking bowlers at this moment. Or otherwise if change was necessary at all Fahim Ashraf on this wicket could be a far better choice.

The day was hot and muggy. Ball was seaming and swinging. England possesses two of the best bowlers in Anderson and Broad for exploiting such situation. Add Woakes and Curran to that. It is extremely difficult to survive. Pakistan winning the toss and electing to bat was almost rocked and rolled. Shan Massod was blown out early by Anderson. Abid Ali and Azhar were surviving by the skin of the teeth. Abid was dropped twice in the slips once off Woakes and then off Broad. Azhar was getting square on time and time again looking vulnerable to getting LBW. However, this pair somehow surviving added 72 precious runs before Azhar fell to Anderson.
Babar Joined Abid and were struggling. Abid could not prolong his innings beyond 60 as Curran priced him out. Once he departed Asad Shafique and Fawad were blown away in the twinkle of an eye reducing Pakistan to 126/5 by the end of the day. Rain and bad light interrupting several times made possible only 45.4 overs. Pakistan need to bat at least till lunch to make a match of it. No score below 250 would be barely enough to keep Pakistan in the contest.

BDST: 1455 HRS, AUG 14, 2020
AP

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