PAK vs AUS: Aamer Jamal Should've Bowled Earlier - Mohammad Hafeez Blasts Shan Masood's Tactics

Pakistan’s head coach and team director, Mohammad Hafeez, expressed surprise that young pacer Aamer Jamal did not bowl earlier in Australia’s second innings. Mohammad Hafeez stated that skipper Shan Masood is responsible for making decisions on the field.

Pakistan were bowled out for just 115 runs in their second innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), setting a 130-run target for the opposition team. Aamer Jamal didn’t bowl a single delivery until the 20th over, despite being the second leading wicket-taker in the series.

Tactically, I think Aamer Jamal Jamal should have bowled earlier, but… – Mohammad Hafeez

During the post-match conference, Mohammad Hafeez explained the decision to start with spinner Sajid Khan on a turning surface. However, Hafeez suggested that Aamer Jamal should have been introduced into the bowling attack earlier.

“It’s up to the captain. All bowlers were available, but it’s the captain’s tactic. We wanted to bowl more from the offspinner because this track can offer a lot from the far end, but the rest is up to (Masood). Tactically, I think Jamal should have bowled earlier, but inside the field, the captain is the best judge so you have to back that up,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

The young pacer picked up figures of 6/111 on his Test debut in the opening game of the series in Perth. Jamal took six wickets for 69 runs in Australia’s first innings in the third Test. He secured a total of 18 wickets in the series at an impressive average of 20.44.

Jamal played a pivotal role by contributing a crucial 82 runs to Pakistan’s first innings during the Sydney Test. He showcased his brilliance, rescuing the team from a challenging situation at 220/7. He guided the team’s total beyond the 300-run mark in the first innings.

We Had Our Moments But We Couldn’t Grab Those – Mohammad Hafeez

Mohammad Hafeez acknowledged that the team missed opportunities in critical game situations and couldn’t capitalize on them. He mentioned that the team could have limited the target during the second Test to secure victory in Melbourne.

“We learned hard lessons. As a team, we had our moments but we couldn’t grab those. We perhaps didn’t (deserve) 3-0, as a team I think we did some really good things this series, but we couldn’t win the crucial moments of the game and that’s the reason for the 3-0. We lost the series, but watching the talent of the players is what made me say we could compete right from the start.”

“We’ve seen some glimpses of it. There were certain moments in these games that we should have grabbed because they can make a difference, especially in Melbourne when they were 16 for 4. It could have been a situation where we needed to chase just 140-150 but it ended up above 300,” Hafeez said.

Pakistan scored 124 runs for one wicket in response to Australia’s 318 in their first innings in Melbourne. However, they lost the next five wickets for 46 runs and were eventually bowled out for 264. In the second innings, they reduced the Australian team to 16 for 4.

They dropped Mitchell Marsh’s catch earlier in his innings, enabling him to guide Australia to a commanding position. Pakistan faced a collapse during the run chase, losing 5 wickets for 18 runs when they were 98 runs away from victory.

Also read: AUS vs PAK: “Shaheen Afridi Did Not Rest Because..” – Mohammad Hafeez Reacts To Pacer’s Absence In Sydney Test