LLast week, Pakistan faced a whitewash (0-2) in the Test series in South Africa. The Proteas wrapped up the series within four days of the second and final Test.
Pakistan’s total of 478 is the highest ever follow-on score by a visiting team in South Africa, vastly improving after being bowled out for 194 in their first innings.
With a 2-0 win over Pakistan, South Africa will go into the WTC final against Australia at Lord’s in June on the back of a seven-match winning streak – the second-most successful streak in their history.
Not that this is anything new, Pakistan have played well in the patch recently but have underperformed under pressure.
Pakistan’s cricketing history is full of moments of brilliance and resilience, but one glaring gap in its record is its failure to win a Test match in South Africa since 2006-07. Despite being a cricket powerhouse in many respects, Pakistan’s performance in South Africa has been unsatisfactory.
When was the last time Pakistan won a Test series in South Africa?
The simple answer is: never. Pakistan’s inability to adapt to conditions in South Africa combined with South Africa’s cricketing strengths has kept them from winning a series in the country. Even in matches where Pakistan had opportunities to take the lead, poor decision-making and individual mistakes led to missed opportunities.
In total, Pakistan and South Africa have played 30 Tests so far. The Proteas have a clear lead with 17 victories while the Green Shirts have been successful on six occasions.
In South Africa, Pakistan have toured South Africa five times in 1994–95, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2006–07 and 2012–13 and have won two Tests.
The first victory came during the 1997-98 tour in Durban with the partnership of Azhar Mehmood (132) and Shoaib Akhtar (5-43) and Saeed Anwar (118) and Mushtaq Ahmed (6-78). Second innings Interestingly, Mushtaq Ahmed took 9 wickets in the match on the Durban pitch which is considered to be SA’s fastest pitch and not spinner friendly.
The second victory came in Port Elizabeth during the 2006-07 tour thanks to a team effort. Inzamam-ul-Haq led the team brilliantly with the support of almost everyone. The main architect of the victory was Inzamam, whose 92 helped Pakistan take a first-innings lead with Danish Kaneria (7 wickets in the match) and Younis Khan (45 and 67*) putting on 191 on the fourth day. Stabilized the difficult pursuit.
South African pitches are known for their bounce, pace and seam movement, conditions that have traditionally troubled Pakistan’s batting line-up. Pakistan’s batsmen, who often excel in sub-continental conditions with low bounce and slower pitches, have struggled to adapt to South Africa’s levels. Matches at places like Centurion and Johannesburg have been particularly challenging.
Over the years, Pakistan’s batting collapse has been a recurring theme in South Africa. For example, during the 2018–19 tour, Pakistan’s highest score in a three-Test series was 294, and they were bowled out for less than 200 four times.
Quality of South African bowlers South Africa has consistently produced world-class fast bowlers. These bowlers exploited Pakistan’s weaknesses on bouncy tracks, often dismantling the batting line-up with ease.
Pakistan’s fielding has often been less than South Africa’s. Dropped catches and missed opportunities have allowed the South African batsmen to post big scores. Additionally, fitness levels, which are crucial to withstand the demands of Test cricket in tough conditions, have been an issue for Pakistan.
South Africa’s dominance at home is not limited to Pakistan. The Proteas boast one of the best home records in Test cricket. Subcontinental teams, including India and Sri Lanka, have also struggled in South Africa, although India eventually managed to win a Test series there in 2021-22.
Pakistan’s average batting score in South Africa is just 201.8 runs per innings, which is much lower than their performance in other countries.
While Pakistan have fielded some of the best bowlers in cricket history, including Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq and Yasir Shah, their bowlers have often lacked the support of fielders and batsmen. is
South Africa’s batsmen have had success against Pakistan, with Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, and Graeme Smith regularly scoring heavily against them.
Pakistan teams have often been criticized for lacking the mental toughness required to succeed in challenging conditions abroad.
Inadequate preparation tours and limited experience in domestic cricket leagues in these countries have contributed to Pakistan’s struggles.
For Pakistan to break their losing streak in South Africa and Australia, several steps are necessary such as:
The management should schedule more practice matches before the Test series.
Encouraging young players to participate in domestic leagues in South Africa and Australia to gain experience.
Adopting a modern fitness regime and emphasizing fielding drills as per the standards of top teams. An introduction to sports psychology to help athletes better manage stressful situations.
Developing pitches in Pakistan that mimic conditions in South Africa and Australia to prepare players for overseas tours.
Appoint captains and coaching staff who understand the nuances of playing in difficult situations.
Pakistan’s failure to win the Test in South Africa highlights the need for systemic changes. Although the talent pool in Pakistan is still rich, converting this talent into consistent performances abroad requires a concerted effort from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), team management and the players themselves. By addressing the fundamental issues and adopting forward thinking, Pakistan can hope to rewrite history and achieve memorable victories in these challenging cricketing nations.
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