Pakistan has lost the first test against the West Indies and now seeks an immediate turnaround, hoping for a better result. Pakistan’s lacklustre performance in the first test was indeed disappointing, and it forced the captain, Babar Azam, to make wholesale changes to the team, although their premier and most experienced fast bowler, Mohammad Abbas, was excluded, raising many eyebrows. Mohammad Abbas is not only consistent but also the leading wicket-taker in the series, picking eight wickets at an economy rate of 2.3.
Pakistan, though, on Day 2 have changed the complexion of the match by amassing 266-2. The visitors are now just 78 runs behind as Abdullah Shafique’s ton (*107 unbeaten) & Babar Azam (*84 runs unbeaten) have frustrated Caribbean bowlers on the surface which has slowly started to misbehave.
Babar Azam’s take on the absence of Mohammad Abbas
Imagine how strange it would be to be one-nil down and not play your most consistent fast bowler. Babar Azam’s decision was shocking, but he covered it up by merely saying that it was due to the slow wicket that he decided to drop Abbas and pick Mohammad Ali and Ubaid Shah instead. While speaking to Ian Bishop at the toss, Babar said,
“The condition demands differently; hence, we are forced to exclude Abbas, and we play one more spinner ”
Babar Azam also brushed aside the misconception that Abbas was dropped due to an injury, and it was a decision taken merely due to the slow nature of the pitch. Given the loss in the first test, it was expected that Pakistan would make wholesale changes to its squad, but Abbas’ exclusion was out of the blue, as he is the overall leading wicket-taker for the team.
Mohammad Abbas has 28 wickets in five tests with an impressive average of 20.32, and his exclusion also does not make sense. The Trinidad pitch is known for its slowness, whereas Abbas bowls in mid 120s which is neither fast. Meanwhile, Ubaid Shah, who was picked over Abbas, bowls at a medium pace, while Mohammad Ali is not an express train either, with him touching a maximum of 130. Strangely, he has a better record in the West Indies and has picked the most wickets, 29 in the Caribbean.
Mohammad Abbas’ questionable axe
Mohammad Abbas picked up his seventh five-wicket haul in Test cricket, showing his excellence and grit. The team felt that a slower wicket would have further spoiled Abbas’ threat, and he would have been more ineffective, but instead, he has proved that slower wickets have not affected his pace and accuracy.
In fact, in the six tests he played in the UAE, he took 27 wickets at a whirlwind average of 17.55, which was by far his best average. Apart from this, Abbas was also the leading wicket-taker during the series against Bangladesh with ten wickets to his name.
Pakistan plays another test series against England in August, which is right after the West Indies series, and Mohammad Abbas’ record in England is fairly good with 15 wickets in just five tests. Will Pakistan back Abbas throughout that series? Was benching Abbas and playing an extra spinner in Sajid Khan the right call by Babar Azam?
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