Pakistan End Day 1 of the 2nd Test against Zimbabwe at 268/4

[Ahmed216]

Babar's approach to a test innings is all over the place. New ball doing a bit and he wants to get going straight away. Not prepared to dig in. For a player of his ability its nothing but mentality that needs to be sorted

 

[Adnan_Ilyas]

Babar will bounce back no worries

 

[Titan24]

Babar relies on the pace in the wicket to play his shots and with the slow wickets Harare had to offer he has struggled. Its not like he has been bamboozled by the bowlers, just struggled to play his shots in both the innings.

Considering his class he needs to be better at adaptability especially when it comes to test cricket. I am sure he will improve on that going forward but, needs to recognize his problems and work with the guys available at NHPC and with the team.

 

[Rauf's_Lungs]

There is a reason top teams like India, Australia and England don't tour Zimbabwe. Pakistan's tours to Zimbabwe is damaging to our cricket . Aging and poorly performing players and players with poor technique , who have been a failure against better teams should have been replaced by fresh blood, but they come to Zimbabwe and score centuries and prolong their career for years , only to repeat the cycle.

I'm sure players like Azhar, Abid, Butt and coach would been kicked out by now .

If we have to play Zimbabwe, we should send with most of the young players , who would make the A team .
No sense in sending aging veterans to Zimbabwe.

The reason they don't play Zim is because it makes them no money. Also where do you get off likening a top player like Azhar with Imran.

 

[PakEngFan]

Babar's approach to a test innings is all over the place. New ball doing a bit and he wants to get going straight away. Not prepared to dig in. For a player of his ability its nothing but mentality that needs to be sorted

The last sentence is bang on.

 

[Titan24]

He needs to be patient first and foremost to eager to get going after the bowling. Doesn’t seem like a person who likes to grind though periods. Additionally looks content with a middling score and doesn’t want to push himself.

Should have taken more time. I dont mind him playing his shots as he is good enough to play them but, would like to see him giving more time to himself and then adjust his stroke play as per the pace in the wicket.

 

[Justcrazy]

Fawad once settled can get another big one here

 

[Titan24]

Muzarabani has been really impressive in this spell

 

[Rafa]

What the hell is going on.

 

[Justcrazy]

Four

Very good shot by Fawad

 

[Titan24]

Pak doesnt have much batting left other than Rizwan. If Zimb push themselves here they can even restrict Pak below 350 which will be quite an achievement for what they were just few overs ago.

 

[Omer2002]

Faddy gone ..expected..

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Faddy gone ..expected..

Just really good bowling by Muzrabani.

 

[PakEngFan]

Should have taken more time. I dont mind him playing his shots as he is good enough to play them but, would like to see him giving more time to himself and then adjust his stroke play as per the pace in the wicket.

Concentration or the lack of it is his main problem. Always getting out either side of the break as well as after getting a century. What is more concerning is his lack of grit always seems in a hurry in tests.

 

[Justcrazy]

OUT

Fawad gone

 

[JibranAnsari]

another sad outing for babar.

 

[Justcrazy]

Pak doesnt have much batting left other than Rizwan. If Zimb push themselves here they can even restrict Pak below 350 which will be quite an achievement for what they were just few overs ago.

Zimbabwe does not have that fire power in their bowling , only because it is a team like Pakistan they are competing , any other ream would have won in a much more emphatic manner

 

[Yasir_ch]

LOL fawad.Another shafiq in the house.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

LOL fawad.Another shafiq in the house.

Score more runs than Babar who could only manage 2 runs this series. Calm down, match isn't even in any danger. Pakistan manage another 50 runs and Zimbabwe are out of this.

 

[Sunzi]

Curtly Muzarabani causing problems here.

 

[imshally81]

Unlucky Fawa6.. Got jaffa

 

[PakEngFan]

Score more runs than Babar who could only manage 2 runs this series. Calm down, match isn't even in any danger. Pakistan manage another 50 runs and Zimbabwe are out of this.

Sajid has more runs then Babar doesn’t mean he’s in better then Babar same with Fawad.

 

[PakEngFan]

All 4 dismissals have been poor.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Unlucky Fawa6.. Got jaffa

Muzrabani has just been on fire in this spell, can't do anything about it. Fawad had the right idea but should've left that. Still i think tomorrow is a new day but Abid should've had brains to take control of the strike seeing as he's been out there the longest, pretty selfish from Abid could've took most of the strike when Babar and Fawad were in.

Anyways another 50 runs and this game is over for Zimbabwe.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Sajid has more runs then Babar doesn’t mean he’s in better then Babar same with Fawad.

This is the problem with some low IQ fans, great one day and villian the next day. It was just a good solid spell by Blessing and you shouldn't take that away from the bowler.

 

[Titan24]

Good little job by Sajid at the end. He has got a 100 in FC cricket so can bat a bit

 

[PakEngFan]

This is the problem with some low IQ fans, great one day and villian the next day. It was just a good solid spell by Blessing and you shouldn't take that away from the bowler.

Well my post was in more relation to the quality of the batsmen. In which Babar is far ahead in terms of batting.

 

[Titan24]

Zimbabwe does not have that fire power in their bowling , only because it is a team like Pakistan they are competing , any other ream would have won in a much more emphatic manner

Pak won by an innings in the first test. What exactly any other team would have done? Won without batting or bowling?

 

[Justcrazy]

268 . 4

Stumps , Pakistan to be honest should have got more , slowish batting

 

[Justcrazy]

Pak won by an innings in the first test. What exactly any other team would have done? Won without batting or bowling?

You think other Top teams would have played full-strength teams and won by that margin? There is a reason Pakistan is not in the top teams, its not a random thing.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Well my post was in more relation to the quality of the batsmen. In which Babar is far ahead in terms of batting.

Well despite Babar and Fawad's dismissals it's still a closed game. If Blessing can do this then just watch Shaheen & Co, cheap fans at times.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

268 . 4

Stumps , Pakistan to be honest should have got more , slowish batting

50-60 more runs and this game is over mate, honestly Zimbabwe will not do much with this.

 

[hitthestump]

Abid's innings is looking important now with Rizwan being the only recognised batsman left.

If Zim manage to get Pak out for under 320 they'll fancy themselves here. Slow batting when the going was good might end up being costly.

 

[Titan24]

You think other Top teams would have played full-strength teams and won by that margin? There is a reason Pakistan is not in the top teams, its not a random thing.

Thats exactly what I am asking, what would have been the margin? Zimb has played tests against some other teams in the last decade as well.

Pak is a mid table team currently alongside the likes of SA (SA has bit more overall experience) and I have always maintained that.

However, I am not sure what exactly any other team would have done in a test match against Zimbabwe that is if they would have played with them to start with. In test cricket I have rarely seen teams going with 2nd strings, happy to be stand corrected if you have examples.

 

[PakEngFan]

Well despite Babar and Fawad's dismissals it's still a closed game. If Blessing can do this then just watch Shaheen & Co, cheap fans at times.

Agreed we should win comfortably win this even both of them played a poor shot.

 

[Hasan123]

You don't really learn much from mid 30s players scoring against Zimbabwe. Look I get we don't play much test cricket but at least 3/4 of these players are going to need replacing due to age decline.

The way Misbah and Muhammad Wasim don't seem to have a clue how to build a team with a good age balance.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

Agreed we should win comfortably win this even both of them played a poor shot.

Yea i agree, fan of both but i wanna see those 30-40 run scores followed by the odd 100 and it makes it a very successful tour for them.

This is how Pakistan batting is if one person is set go on and make a score and close out the game. You can't be a hero everyday.

Really poor series though for Babar to be honest.

 

[PakEngFan]

Yea i agree, fan of both but i wanna see those 30-40 run scores followed by the odd 100 and it makes it a very successful tour for them.

This is how Pakistan batting is if one person is set go on and make a score and close out the game. You can't be a hero everyday.

Really poor series though for Babar to be honest.

More then poor series it’s the manner in which he has got out too causal which unfortunately is getting a bit concerning and doesn’t seem to be learning from it.

 

[Rafa]

Babar had a good opportunity to get some easy runs under his belt. Now he may not get to bat in the second innings once again.

 

[Shoaibbtt]

More then poor series it’s the manner in which he has got out too causal which unfortunately is getting a bit concerning and doesn’t seem to be learning from it.

Yep, still i won't be overly concerned but this is why Pakistan should be playing more tests in a year.

 

[Ami]

Horrible batting wheh you're playing 5 batters plus keeper at 6.

All 4 batters went to forcing shots, especially last 3 in 30 mins.

Unbelievable stuff!

...Why dont they stick to what they know, attritional cricket.

 

[silentkiller187]

this is the problem when you bat so slowly, we dominated 2 and 3/4 sessions, but a few cheap wickets at the end and this score looks very average for a first day, especially when you consider its against zim.

on a plus note the best thing that could happen to pakistan is getting all out for under 300 , at least our bowlers will have to work a bit harder and we will have a better contest.

 

[MenInG]

Abid Ali and Azhar Ali put on a 236-run partnership – the highest for the second wicket at the Harare Sports Club – as Pakistan finished the opening day of the second Test at 268/4.

Pakistan had a shaky start and an equally uncertain finish to the day, but Azhar's 126 and Abid's unbeaten 118* helped them through to stumps at a commanding position.

Blessing Muzarabani worked his magic with the second new ball, picking up three crucial wickets and giving Zimbabwe something to build on when play resumes on the second morning.

Opting to bat, Pakistan were watchful in the early overs as Zimbabwe's new-ball bowlers got the ball to seam around. Richard Ngarava picked up the early wicket of Imran Butt (2), forcing him to top edge a bouncer to mid-wicket.

At 12/1, Abid and Azhar joined forces, paving the way for a long period of domination. The duo saw off the new ball and solidified the foundations for a huge total, adding 60 runs to guide their team to lunch without losing any further wickets.

On resumption, they picked up the pace. Both batsmen cruised to their half-centuries, pushing their second-wicket stand past the 100-run mark. They ensured Zimbabwe chased leather all afternoon, and their partnership remained intact as they went into tea, the duo adding a further 94 runs in the second session.

They brought up their centuries in the final session. Azhar was the first to mark, ensuring his 18th Test ton was brought up without much fuss.

Abid had a hiccough when he was on 94 – Regis Chakabva put down a catch behind the stumps – but having then got through to his century, his third in Tests, he would remain unmoved till stumps.

Late in the day, Azhar looked to increase the rate of scoring. His aggressive approach proved to be his undoing, however, as he perished trying to play a cover drive off Muzarabani's bowling, bringing an end to the 236-run stand.

The new ball did the trick again for Muzarabani. He went on to claim outside edge of Pakistan captain Babar Azam (2), before adding the crucial wicket of Fawad Alam to his kitty in his very next over.

Zimbabwe will hope to build on the gains early on day two.

 

[UzmanBeast]

Horrible batting from Pakistan.

Azhar and Abid should have had this game done and dusted and continued onwards on Day 2, but they failed to preserve the advantage.

Fawad has at least done something on this tour, but still, his dismissal was quite poor. Normally, he takes time to get settled, but that wasn't the case today.

Babar has been an utter disappointment this entire tour, and if anything, this tour has shattered his confidence instead of allowing him to stat pad.

He is not a test level player, he needs to play entire seasons of QEA Trophy to get better otherwise he will not do himself any good. People are hyping Babar way too much in test matches, his FC average is 42, which is appalling considering the standards he sets in other formats.

I'm disappointed in his performances, he needs to do better. Test cricket is the format which tests a batsman to his core.

So far, he is way too eager to get bat on ball, any team wanting to take his wicket should just bowl wide of the off-stump to take his outside edge.

This dismissal pattern has been repetitive (Test against Bangladesh, against England, South Africa, etc.).

He isn't learning.

 

[Kaddy]

It’s Zimbabwe man lol.

Hope you take me more seriously next time