British media have described Pakistan’s current Test team touring England as the country’s weakest side in 50 years, raising questions over the team’s batting, bowling and fielding standards. The assessment comes amid Pakistan’s struggles against England during the ongoing Test series, with the visitors facing criticism for their inconsistent performances across all departments.
According to British media reports, Pakistan’s last eight wickets fell for just 74 runs against England. The reports noted that Pakistan’s current batting lineup is significantly weaker than the great batsmen of the past, while the country’s fast-bowling attack has also declined in both pace and quality. The report described Pakistan’s current Test team as its weakest in five decades, highlighting that even on the dry Headingley pitch, the Pakistani bowlers struggled to trouble England’s batsmen.
Pakistan’s fielding also came under criticism, with several misfields and dropped catches allowing Joe Root, Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence to score freely. The report further noted that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and Pakistan’s spin-bowling pair could provide glimpses of the aggressive cricket the team displayed in the past.
On the other hand, Pakistan suffered a dramatic collapse in their second innings as England tightened their grip on the opening Test at Headingley on Friday. England’s pace attack continued to trouble the Pakistani batting lineup, with Jofra Archer and Ollie Robinson combining to take three crucial wickets during the morning session on the third day.
Pakistan reached lunch at 59-3, still 179 runs behind England’s first-innings total. Shan Masood was unbeaten on 28, while Saud Shakeel was 5 not out. England had earlier been bowled out for 409, securing a commanding 238-run first-innings lead after Pakistan were dismissed for 171.
Pakistan’s second innings got off to a disastrous start when Archer removed experienced opener Imam-ul-Haq for a duck in the second over. The England fast bowler struck again in his following over, dismissing debutant Azan Awais for nine to leave Pakistan struggling at 13-2. Abdullah Shafique then joined Masood at the crease and helped steady the innings. The pair added 38 runs for the third wicket before Robinson dismissed Shafique for 15 in the 14th over.