Shockingly Pakistan lost the second Test match against West Indies in Multan by 120 runs on day three to draw the series 1-1 last week. Pakistan had triumphed in the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan.

Warrican finishing with match figures of 9-70 and 19 scalps in the series to give the hosts a taste of their own medicine on spin-friendly pitches.

It was a tough defeat for Pakistan, especially after winning the first Test in the series. Pakistan won the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan.

The West Indies won a Test match in Pakistan for the first time in nearly 35 years. The last time the West Indies won a Test in Pakistan was in Faisalabad in November 1990, having gone winless on their 1997 and 2006 tours. West Indies played eight Tests between their last two wins in Pakistan, and lost six of them.

The defeat sent Pakistan crashing to ninth and last in the World Test Championship table while the West Indies finished eighth.

Not only against fast bowlers, but Pakistani batsmen have faced significant challenges against mediocre spinners, even on home soil.

The lack of exposure to high-quality spin bowling in domestic cricket means that Pakistani batsmen often find it difficult to adjust to the variations and guile of international spinners as they done against West Indies spinners.

Pakistan won three Tests on these type of pitches - two against England and one against West Indies, but before providing extra-ordinary conditions to spinners, the management and the coaches should prepare their batsmen to handle spin-friendly pitches effectively.

In recent years, Pakistani batsmen have often struggled against both fast bowlers and spinners, even in familiar home conditions. This phenomenon has raised questions about the technical, mental, and systemic issues plaguing the batting lineup. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this struggle.

To address this issue, the PCB should implement robust training programmes that emphasise techniques suited for spin. This could include specialized coaching sessions focusing on footwork, shot selection, and mental resilience against spinners. Batsmen should also practice against different types of spin-slow left-arm, off-spin, and googly-to develop a comprehensive skill set.

In the first innings of the second Test, Pakistan’s spinner Noman Ali scripted history after taking a hat-trick to become the sixth bowler to take a Test hat-trick in the first session of play on the opening day of the match.

West Indies were reduced to 38-7 and then 54 for 8 at one stage in the first innings of the second Test. But from here they had gone on to win the Test.

Jomel Warrican taken 19 wickets in the series that is the joint-most by a West Indies bowler in a two-match Test series. Shane Shillingford (2013) and Gudakesh Motie (2023) also took 19 wickets each in a two-match series against Zimbabwe.

Spinners from the both sides, taken 69 wickets across the two Tests in Multan. These are the most wickets taken by spinners in a two-match Test series, bettering the tally of 67 by Sri Lanka and West Indies in 2021.

Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan was the top scorer of the series with 147 runs, averaging 36.75 with the help of one fifty. Interestingly bowler Gudakesh Motie scored most runs for the most 92 runs at an average of 23 including one half-century.

In four completed innings no batsmen crossed three-figure marks on extremely spin friendly conditions. Pakistan skipper Shan Masood and ace batter Babar Azam managed only 80 and 45 runs respectively.

On the bowling side, West Indies spinner Jomel Warrican taken most 19 wickets with the average of just 9. Warrican was the joint-most by a West Indies bowler in a two-match Test series.

Noman Ali also became the first spinner to bag six wickets in the first session on day one and he was only the second spinner in history to achieve the feat after Australia’s Billy Bates (1883).

The Pakistan spinner is also the second-oldest player (38 years, 139 days days) to take a Test hat-trick after Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath (38 years, 110 days). He is also the first Pakistan bowler to achieve the feat, as only Abrar Ahmed took a five-wicket haul (On debut against England in 2022) previously before lunch on the first day’s play.

Noman Ali became only the fifth bowler to take a hat-trick for Pakistan in Tests and the first spinner to do so. Wasim Akram had a hat-trick in consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka in 1999, while Abdul Razzaq in 2000 and Mohammad Sami in 2002 also took hat-tricks against the same opponents. The last hat-trick by a Pakistan bowler was taken by Naseem Shah against Bangladesh in 2020. He also became the first spinner to bag six wickets in the first session on day one.

Six bowlers to take a hat-trick before lunch on the first day of a Test, including Noman.

All the previous five bowlers were pacers only, with the last one being Irfan Pathan against Pakistan in the 2006 Karachi Test.

Noman Ali taken five consecutive Test matches with a five-wicket haul. Only Sydney Barnes, Charlie Turner and Alec Bedser had a longer streak than Noman, with five-fors in six successive Tests, while Yasir Shah also took five-wicket hauls in five consecutive matches.

Total 16 Wickets picked by the spinners on the first day of the Multan Test. These are the most wickets for spin bowlers on the opening day of a Test, bettering the 14 wickets by England and South Africa at Leeds in 1907.

Many Pakistani batsmen have glaring technical flaws that are exploited by both fast bowlers and spinners. Against spinners, the problems are equally pronounced, with batsmen often struggling to read the trajectory, use their feet effectively, or play with soft hands. They tend to play for turn even when the ball goes straight, leading to LBW or bowled dismissals.

The lack of variety in pitch preparation means that batsmen are not tested enough in domestic cricket. When they encounter challenging conditions at the international level, they struggle to adapt.

The struggles of Pakistani batsmen against both fast bowlers and spinners are a reflection of deeper systemic issues within the country’s cricketing infrastructure.

While the talent pool is undeniable, addressing technical flaws, mental fragility, and structural weaknesses is crucial for Pakistan to produce world-class batsmen capable of dominating in all conditions. With the right reforms and a focus on long-term development, Pakistan can reclaim its reputation as a powerhouse of batting talent.

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