Testing times ahead

PSL 3 was a resounding success, and so was the three-match T20I series against the West Indies. Like last year, the Pakistan Super League not only has given the national side the freshest pool of youngsters in the shape of Husain Talat, Asif Ali and Shaheen Afridi, it has opened the doors of international cricket to a major city, Karachi, this year around.

The series win against the West Indies was Pakistan’s seventh straight under Sarfraz Ahmed’s captaincy, who has proven himself to be a formidable leader and thinker in the shortest form of the game, with the national side currently the number one T20 side in the world.

While there was an ODI whitewash in New Zealand, that could be dubbed a reality check of sorts, given the fact that other than the historic Champions Trophy win Pakistan only have series wins over depleted Sri Lanka and West Indies sides to show in 50-overs cricket. However, the nature of that Champions Trophy win would have, at the very least, established Pakistan as a threat in tournaments – especially with the ODI World Cup little over a year away, and in England again.

However, where Pakistan are truly facing testing times is the longest format. This is especially true since they’ve only played two Tests in almost a year since the series win against West Indies in May last year, which was Pakistan’s first ever Test series triumph in the Caribbean and marked the end of the glittering careers of Misbah-ul-Haq and Younus Khan.

Just how big a vacuum those two have left behind could be gauged by the fact that Pakistan were clean swept by a completely out of sorts Sri Lanka side in the two Test series in October, which was Pakistan’s first ever series defeat in the UAE since having established it as the home away from home.

With Misbah and Younus’ absence the mantle has been passed on to the likes of Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq with Babar Azam and Haris Sohail coming into the mix as well.

Unlike last year, Pakistan will be playing a lot of Test cricket this year, starting with England next month

Azhar Ali had become the mainstay of Pakistan’s batting even during the very end of MisYou’s careers and he certainly looks like being Pakistan’s go-to batsmen now, and perhaps for years to come. What will also work in Azhar Ali’s favour is that the burden of captaincy has been taken away from him, and it will perhaps be better for everyone if he lets go of ODIs as well, even though he had an important part to play in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy win.

Asad Shafiq hasn’t been in the runs since that 137 at the Gabba that nearly pulled off a record run chase against Australia in December 2016. Shafiq only has one score of note since then, 112 in Dubai against Sri Lanka last year.

Babar Azam hasn’t been able to replicate his form from the limited-overs formats to Tests, while Haris Sohail is getting among the runs, but has only just joined the first team after MisYou’s retirement.

Unlike last year, Pakistan will be playing a lot of Test cricket this year, starting with one Test in Ireland and a two match series in England next month. Then Pakistan host Australia in October and New Zealand in November, in the UAE most probably. This would be followed by a tour to South Africa in December.

While both away series – England and South Africa – would be challenging at the best of times, they would be particularly intimidating for a side in transition. Similarly, Australia and New Zealand could be tough, even in the UAE, given how Pakistan fared against Sri Lanka.

So there are testing times ahead for Pakistan. And we’ll continue with the build-up to the England tour in the coming weeks.