PAK vs AUS: Pakistan Dominated First Two Tests vs Australia, Says Babar Azam After Home Test Series Loss vs Australia

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam on Friday asserted that they performed very well throughout the three-match series and only a final session collapse cost them the defeat to Australia who toured after nearly 24 years in the country.

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Pakistan and Australia played a memorable Test series in the subcontinent which will be remembered in the coming years for many reasons, one of the top being the dead and flat pitches that didn’t produce any results in the first two Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

We only lost by one session: Babar Azam on Pakistan’s Test series defeat to Australia

Pakistan skipper, who played a key role in forcing a draw in Karachi with is 196 off 425 balls, said the team was up to their best in all three games until the final session on Day 5 of the Lahore Test.

“Overall the series went well, especially the Karachi Test where we dominated and saved the match. Unfortunately, I got out but even then we had our mind set on chasing,” Babar said after the third Test on Friday. 

“There is always a home advantage and you definitely have to take advantage of it. Rest it’s in the curator’s hands and I think they prepared good pitches at all three venues. It had turn and break and helped both our and their bowlers. I think cricket was played well. We only lost by one session, otherwise in all three games our effort was commendable,” he added. 

We had soft dismissals and that’s the reason we lost the game: Babar Azam

Australia were required to pick 10 wickets on the final day of the series-decider as Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique started the day with 73/0 in their quest of 351 to win the game.

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green got the breakthrough in the early part of the day as he got Shafique caught behind the wickets. Azhar Ali made efforts to stretch the role of Shafique along with Imam in their partnership, which didn’t last long.

Australian bowlers Nathan Lyon (5/83) and Pat Cummins (3/23) ran through Pakistan’s batting order in the final session of the day as the hosts were bowled out for 235 despite skipper Babar’s 104-ball 55.

Babar said they weren’t clear on their approach on whether to play for a draw or a win and pointed out the soft dismissals as the reason of their batting collapse.

“We didn’t go defensive, we played positive cricket. You plan according to the situation. It’s not like you go out, play big shots and go for the runs. We had a good session early in the day but unfortunately we had soft dismissals and that’s the reason we lost the game,” the Pakistan skipper said. 

“We had a simple plan – to take the momentum in hand first and then think [about the target] after the tea. After lunch, we had a plan to play normal cricket. We weren’t able to decide whether to go for a win or a draw.

“But with all those wickets falling, we decided to go deep as much as we could but we were positive throughout. There were continuous discussions in our dressing room about chasing it down,” he added. 

This was the Australian side’s first visit to Pakistan in 24 years and eventually, they started their historic tour with a monumental Test series win over the Asian powerhouse. This is Australia’s third Test series win in Pakistan, before this they won under the leadership of Richie Benaud (2-0 in 1959/60) and Mark Taylor (1-0 in 1998/99).

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