Three Tests, six innings, 20 runs: Pakistan register worst Test series in 35 years against England

Pakistani Saim Ayub (Photo AP) Pakistan’s opening batsmen endured a disastrous Test series against England, combining for just 20 runs in six opening partnerships in the three-match series, their joint worst performance in 35 years. The latest setback came in the third Test at Edgbaston, where Pakistan’s first pair were dismissed without adding a run to the scoreboard in the second innings.The 20-run total is Pakistan’s lowest for a Test series opening partnership since their home series against the West Indies in 1990-91.

Three opening combinations, no rack for 10 moves

Pakistan tried three different opening combinations during the series, but none managed to produce even a double-figure stand.Opening pair of test1. shift2. shift 1. test, HeadinglyAzan Awais & Imam-ul-Haq002. Test, Lord’sAzan Awais & Shan Masood573. test, EdgbastonAzan Awais & Saim Ayub80Total137In six innings, Pakistan’s openers managed just 20 runs, with their best opening stand of just eight runs.

Awais fights alone at the top

Azan Awais was the only Pakistani opener to offer any consistency during the series. The youngster scored 129 runs in six innings at an average of 21.50 but got hardly any support from his partners. Imam-ul-Haq managed scores of 42 and 0, Shan Masood made 1 and 26 while Saim Ayub returned 0 and 0 in his two innings as opener.Repeated early dismissals put Pakistan’s middle order under pressure almost immediately.

Another unwanted recording in Edgbaston

Pakistan’s problems at the top were part of a much wider batting collapse in the third Test. In the first innings at Edgbaston, Pakistan were bowled out for just 133, with the top five batsmen all dismissed for single-digit scores. It was the first time a team had lost all their top five wickets for single-digit scores in the first innings of a Test in England.