‘Everybody’s afraid’: Pakistan languishing at the bottom of the WTC after another heavy defeat

Pakistan Cricket Team (Pic credit: ICC) Pakistan’s Test crisis deepened at Lord’s as another heavy defeat left them bottom of the Test World Cup standings, with pacer Mohammad Abbas admitting that “everyone is worried” about the team’s performances.Pakistan’s fortunes in the longest format have declined significantly in recent years, both at home and overseas.Their latest setback was a 194-run defeat by England at Lord’s after an innings defeat in the series opener at Leeds. It was Pakistan’s tenth loss in the last 11 away Tests.

“Our performance is everyone’s concern”

Abbas, who finished the Lord’s Test with nine wickets and claimed his first five-wicket haul at the venue, acknowledged that Pakistan were fully aware of the challenges they faced.“Our performance is worrying everyone. Everyone is worried, including the selection committee and the NCA. We’re not doing well, we accept it. We’re not firing, we’re not firing or playing well and we’re discussing it all the time in meetings. We’re all working on it and we have to be,” Abbas said after Pan’s defeat.The follower identified Pakistan’s fielding as an area that needed significant improvement. Dropped catches proved costly as England’s key batsmen could have boosted their total significantly.“We dropped catches and their key players scored 70 odd extra runs. That’s where the match turned as we could have bowled them out for 200. It’s disappointing,” Abbas said.Despite his own impressive show, the veteran pacer was left frustrated that his individual performances did not translate into victory.“Individual performances are important, but I try to perform to help the team win. I played many matches but the team didn’t win,” he said.

“Experience is very important in Test cricket”

Abbas also pointed to the relative inexperience with Pakistan’s current pace attack as another challenge.“We had a different bowling combination in Bangladesh than here. We won the Test in the West Indies. Guys are adapting but experience is very important in Test cricket,” he said.Abbas, who has played 32 Tests, said the younger fast bowlers alongside him are still adjusting to the demands of international cricket in different conditions.“I have played 32 Test matches but the fast bowlers playing with me are very new to Test cricket. But everyone is trying to improve.”Pakistan now have one more opportunity to avoid the series and pick up valuable WTC points when they face England in the third Test at Edgbaston starting on September 9.