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Pakistan reach 259/5 at stumps on Day 1 of the second Test in their first innings against South Africa

Torturous innings comes to an end. Pcb really needs to evaluate having a player in the team who takes 5-6 given opportunities just to score a painful below 2 RR per over 50
 
As usual

Rawalpindi living up to the standards of being one of the most pathetic venues in the world.
Not seen the stadium from inside but the exterior has a very desi outlook

Too many karahi shops - 3x Butt karahi + 2x Shahinshah Karahi + a few others!!!

All the karahi premises were asked to shut down 3-4 days before the game in preparation for the test.
 
Well this is Pakistan, not peak Australia and this is not a flat road either. On pitches like these you win by grinding the opposition down. If Pakistan get to a commanding position with wickets in hand I'm sure they will try to enforce their will on the game but that shouldn't come at the expense of getting a big first innings total.
No, with just one down as it was at that point, you should look to dictate terms and put opposition under pressure by scoring at a good rate. Safe and attritional cricket don’t win you matches. Gotta put opposition under pressure and make them off the mark. Most teams do the same, not just Ponting team but everyone.
 
No, with just one down as it was at that point, you should look to dictate terms and put opposition under pressure by scoring at a good rate. Safe and attritional cricket don’t win you matches. Gotta put opposition under pressure and make them off the mark. Most teams do the same, not just Ponting team but everyone.
Well Pakistan tried doing that in the last match and it resulted in two batting collapses. Safe and attritional cricket may not be the template on all pitches, but on this pitch, batting first, it is
 
No, with just one down as it was at that point, you should look to dictate terms and put opposition under pressure by scoring at a good rate. Safe and attritional cricket don’t win you matches. Gotta put opposition under pressure and make them off the mark. Most teams do the same, not just Ponting team but everyone.
Mere bhai, on this pitch, the target is to get to 300. Not 500-800. And the goal is to deteriorate the pitch as it'll become spin mamba eventually just like the 1st test.

The goal is to stay as long as possible. This isn't England, Australia And SA pitches.

You aren't factoring that im
 
Babar off to a good start again but his problem hasn't been starting but maintaining concentration, his issue for the past couple of years more often than not is getting a good start but always falling in the 20s-30s, no matter the format. A bit of domestic grind would've certainly helped him.
 
Mere bhai, on this pitch, the target is to get to 300. Not 500-800. And the goal is to deteriorate the pitch as it'll become spin mamba eventually just like the 1st test.

The goal is to stay as long as possible. This isn't England, Australia And SA pitches.

You aren't factoring that im
yeah bat for time and bat long
 
Babar is a sitting duck against spin. Always feels like a matter of time.

I've never seen such an average Test batsman receive such undying loyalty from the Pakistani fanbase for such meagre returns.

Even the much maligned Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq produced more meaningful Test innings than this alleged King.
 
Still no century since Nepal 2023.

Now I'm starting to believe that Saeed Anwar's streak will never be broken in odi.

YK wont ever be broken in test period.
 
Babar is a sitting duck against spin. Always feels like a matter of time.

I've never seen such an average Test batsman receive such undying loyalty from the Pakistani fanbase for such meagre returns.

Even the much maligned Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq produced more meaningful Test innings than this alleged King.
Azhar did. Not sure about Shafiq.
 
We have to admit,

If Babar is finished considering his poor game against spin,

Then so are the fans and journalists who constantly campaign for him.
Naw, they'll keep spouting nonsense as long as their mouths can move. Stupidity knows Zero bounds.
 
Against a horrific SA attack that Agha and Rizwan already dismantled and scored centuries against collectively.

Same said batting lineup got butchered by NZ 6x in a row
Horrific? That was against rabada, jansen, maharaj during SA odi and test tour in 2024.....his problem is not that he can't play good bowling but lack of concentration....even on Aus test tour he was looking good and getting starts .....
 
Kamran ghulam should be in eleven...babar is free wicket now a days.....
Is he in the squad? Any way our next Test is in 5-6 months time. by that time these failures will be forgotten and he will be chosen again. The tour will be to the spinning haven of Bangladesh so I doubt he will do any thing there either if chosen.
 
He hit 3 good boundaries to be honest
Lol. But never looked settled at the crease. Hardly reassuring. He's an extremely nervous character now. He's not even reading the length or pace or line of the ball well now because he's so anxious..needs to go.
Probably the worst batsman in the side right now alongside ABD
 
Horrific? That was against rabada, jansen, maharaj during SA odi and test tour in 2024.....his problem is not that he can't play good bowling but lack of concentration....even on Aus test tour he was looking good and getting starts .....
Oh that, sorry my bad. I mistakenly assumed it to be the home tri series. Yeah you're right.
 
Horrific? That was against rabada, jansen, maharaj during SA odi and test tour in 2024.....his problem is not that he can't play good bowling but lack of concentration....even on Aus test tour he was looking good and getting starts .....
babar scored two useless fifties when opposition Mauled our attack into Submission scoring 650 plus within Day and Half.
 
Its not the form, whenever he is tested against spin, result is clear. He was good in sa tour.

Wasnt the case earlier but last 2-3 years it's been the same story. Going out to nothing balls.
When good players lose form they show the mental strength to come back but he's sliding into oblivion rapidly
 
Babar should take some time out and play first class cricket. Get big centuries under his belt and then come back. He needs time at the wicket, batting for 2-3 sessions or a whole day should be his aim.
 
Is he in the squad? Any way our next Test is in 5-6 months time. by that time these failures will be forgotten and he will be chosen again. The tour will be to the spinning haven of Bangladesh so I doubt he will do any thing there either if chosen.
9 tests back to back from March to October next year....
 
Watch south africa crumbling vs three spinners of pakistan seriously pakistan fans has no idea about the pitch conditions.
Pakistan will win but people talking about Abdullah and Babar is fair play.

We all know the pitch and conditons have nothing to do with how rubbish they've been batting.
 
Watch south africa crumbling vs three spinners of pakistan seriously pakistan fans has no idea about the pitch conditions.
They played okay in the first game, you are underestimating them.

We need 400+ on this pitch, doesn't look like any extravagant spin is present here. Just slow and low.
 
No, with just one down as it was at that point, you should look to dictate terms and put opposition under pressure by scoring at a good rate. Safe and attritional cricket don’t win you matches. Gotta put opposition under pressure and make them off the mark. Most teams do the same, not just Ponting team but everyone.
Most here do not get THIS .
Can Saffers pick 3 more wickets in last session ? New ball still 18 overs away ...
 
Incidentally Muthu underbowled & pacers having already bowled 20 overs will create some rough for home spinners in days to come ...
 
Babar should take some time out and play first class cricket. Get big centuries under his belt and then come back. He needs time at the wicket, batting for 2-3 sessions or a whole day should be his aim.
Thing is he's already had plenty of time out having been excluded from the T20 team.

The QEA Trophy was scheduled too close to this series, but he could've played Hanif Mohammad Trophy, or County Cricket if he pushed for a place.

Babar's literally wasted the best part of a year which I cannot understand. He's 31 (officially) and should be desperate to maximise whatever's left of his peak years. Younis Khan may not have been as naturally talented but any time he got into a rut, he worked like an animal to get back into form.

Babar doesn't seem to have the hunger that our past greats had who also had inept administrations, and multiple captains/coaches/selectors to contend with.
 
Younis Khan may not have been as naturally talented but any time he got into a rut, he worked like an animal to get back into form.

Babar doesn't seem to have the hunger that our past greats had who also had inept administrations, and multiple captains/coaches/selectors to contend with
Younis is too high an example for Babar,

We don’t even need to look too far away with Shan Masood being a better example and more appropriate to Babar’s caliber.

Shan has been brilliant since he worked so hard in domestics. He’s shown that you can turn things around with hard work and dedication, plus clarity of mind. The clarity for Shan was that he wanted to become a proper red ball batsman.
 
Just turning on, looks like south africa missed so many oppertuities
let's see if we can capitalise -- should look to target 450 first innings
 
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