Failure of seniors (barring Misbah-ul-Haq) to take responsibility

[Slog]

Azhar, Shafiq, YK are all seniors and have been around the team for ages.

Sarfaraz, Amir and Yasir are virtually seniors too even if they haven't played as long as their influence suggests

However it seems none of these players really bother to take responsibility and grind it out when the chips are down and once again Misbah is left to do a rescue job.

The shot by YK today was ridiculous and disappointing considering how freaking long he has been playing.

Azhar failed to read the line of the ball and Shafiq failed to show caution even though he had seen the wreckage the top order had faced.

Very disappointing. The funny thing is this lot is definitely more responsible than the guys sitting outside such as Akmal and Shehzad, who had been part of the set up for half a decade, which is worrying

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Nobody wants to take responsibility which is the main issue since forever. Failures like these are normal for Pakistan as they lack a plan a strategy as to how to go about building an innings.

Yesterday both openers did the hard job of seeing through the initial 10-12 over spell without even scoring more than 1 an over but only to then throw it away which was abysmal to see.

These surely are worrying signs as they do not seem to be making any efforts to tackle this issue either.

 

[Abdul]

What's incredibly sad about this is that despite Misbah being the oldest in the team he is still better than everyone else around him.

 

[Slog]

What's incredibly sad about this is that despite Misbah being the oldest in the team he is still better than everyone else around him.

it seems that with a majorit of the team the attitude literally is that 'if everyone else is failing its okay if i fail too."

 

[sensible-indian-fan]

Collapses are common in green tracks.

Indians have collapsed on NZ green tracks.

Saffers themselves were bundled out for 75 in Nagpur. 120 odd in Mohali 2nd innings. Rank turners.

Stuff happens.

But coming at the back of WI collapses...I can see your worry. That's the real issue.

 

[MenInG]

We are assuming that they did this deliberately!

 

[Haroon786]

We are assuming that they did this deliberately!

No, but they should understand the need of the hour - don't need to waft outside the off stump when your team is in a dangerous position already.

 

[Saj]

Awful shot selection and a total lack of responsibility.

They seemed to be in this bubble wherein they saw the first day washed out and probably thought we are ok for a draw here.

It was the sort of day where Pakistan should have ground it out and settled for 250 for 5/6 wickets. Instead the total lack of application now means that it will be very difficult for Pakistan to save this match.

 

[Slog]

I guess Misbah should be added to this too now

 

[msb314]

Awful shot selection and a total lack of responsibility.

They seemed to be in this bubble wherein they saw the first day washed out and probably thought we are ok for a draw here.

It was the sort of day where Pakistan should have ground it out and settled for 250 for 5/6 wickets. Instead the total lack of application now means that it will be very difficult for Pakistan to save this match.

I guess Misbah should be added to this too now

Need a big match saving (and possibly career saving) century from Shafiq now.

I'll take back eveyrthing I said about him if he pulls it off lol

Even a lead of 150 will be competitve on this pitch.

Amir also has to show some application now - Yasir can bat as well so Shafiq should have some support.

 

[msb314]

Need a big match saving (and possibly career saving) century from Shafiq now.

I'll take back eveyrthing I said about him if he pulls it off lol

Even a lead of 150 will be competitve on this pitch.

Amir also has to show some application now - Yasir can bat as well so Shafiq should have some support.

Spoke to soon...

 

[waleed88]

Its just our traditional way of playing doesnot work here...

We always blunt out the affect of the new ball so that it is easier for our middle order batsmen to bat..

However on these pitches the swing remains and the bowl jags around even in the 50th over.. hence exposing our whole tactic of blunting out the new ball

 

[waleed88]

In England we got pitches flatter than usual, that was Cook's tactics to blunt out our attack..

However it worked in our favor because we always play the old ball well, and new ball is our achilles heel

 

[waleed88]

I'd take a 70 run lead here..

 

[Varun]

I haven't been watching this series, but looking at the scorecard I hope the pitches aren't anything like what we got in 2002 - where you couldn't make out the pitch itself from the outfield.

The scores certainly seem to suggest that.

 

[Slog]

I haven't been watching this series, but looking at the scorecard I hope the pitches aren't anything like what we got in 2002 - where you couldn't make out the pitch itself from the outfield.

The scores certainly seem to suggest that.

It's pretty green pitch

And it was raining for a couple of days so a lot of swing on offer

But the worst thing (asides from batsmen's application) is that there was no warmup match and we have a test straight up

 

[The_Odd_One]

It's a collective failure. I think this team has already peaked in the English tour and it is going to decline now.

Perhaps change in captaincy and a couple of changes in the middle order will make things better.

 

[Pete Rose]

Stuff happens. Just need to get some runs tomorrow.

 

[Junaids]

Stuff happens. Just need to get some runs tomorrow.

I think there are two problems.

The first is that this batting line-up was disgracefully given a scandalous schedule which has left them underdone.

But I would add that Younis and Misbah are just too old for this now. They'd better hope that Australia prepare flat tracks to try to protect their own batting, or they are at risk of retiring in severe decline.

 

[msb314]

It's a collective failure. I think this team has already peaked in the English tour and it is going to decline now.

Perhaps change in captaincy and a couple of changes in the middle order will make things better.

We had peaked in the Australian tour of 2014 and last year as well. The 2-2 draw vs England was nice to watch but we were thoroughly outplayed at times. YK bailed us out at the Oval and Misbah did so at Lord's but in between we were poor.

Frankly - we were under-prepared for this tour and needed more practice games. Team looks jaded and tired tbh...

 

[Pete Rose]

I think there are two problems.

The first is that this batting line-up was disgracefully given a scandalous schedule which has left them underdone.

But I would add that Younis and Misbah are just too old for this now. They'd better hope that Australia prepare flat tracks to try to protect their own batting, or they are at risk of retiring in severe decline.

Yeah, that's a problem, it was always going to be given their age. But I have been saying this since the England tour: if the pcb want the indulgence of carrying two uncles then shafiq and Azhar need to play much bigger roles. And so far they haven't

 

[Junaids]

Yeah, that's a problem, it was always going to be given their age. But I have been saying this since the England tour: if the pcb want the indulgence of carrying two uncles then shafiq and Azhar need to play much bigger roles. And so far they haven't

You just can't carry two "uncles" as you put it.

Look at Australia: Chris Rogers and Adam Voges are respectively three years and five years younger than Misbah and Younis.

And Australia is now paying dearly for having used both as stopgaps together instead of grooming the next generation.

Pakistan is not immune from the same problem.