Pakistan captain Babar Azam admitted that his side failed to make the most of favourable batting conditions during the second Test against England at Lord’s, where the visitors suffered a heavy defeat on Sunday.
Pakistan were beaten by 194 runs in the second Test of the three-match series after failing to chase down a challenging target of 389. Despite showing promise with the ball at different stages of the match, Pakistan’s batting once again proved to be their biggest weakness.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Babar acknowledged that his team had opportunities but could not convert them into substantial partnerships.
Pakistan’s batting fails to deliver
Babar said the team initially attempted to make use of the conditions and follow its plans, but the batters were unable to produce the performances needed.
“We tried to utilise the conditions. Then, the batting was not up to the mark,” Babar said, while reflecting on Pakistan’s overall performance.
The captain pointed out that Pakistan had also struggled to build meaningful partnerships, something that became increasingly important as England set a demanding fourth-innings target.
“We just followed our plans and tried to build partnership, but unfortunately, we didn’t have partnerships,” he added.
Pakistan’s inability to put together sustained stands left the team under pressure and eventually exposed the lower order to England’s attack.
Abbas shines with the ball
While Pakistan struggled with the bat, Mohammad Abbas provided one of the standout performances of the match.
The experienced pacer claimed a five-wicket haul at Lord’s, earning praise from his captain for his bowling display. Babar described the achievement as a memorable moment for Abbas, particularly given the historic significance of the venue.
“In the second innings again, bowling… Abbas was outstanding,” Babar said.
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He added that the team was continuing to work on improving both its batting and bowling performances.
“I think a Lord’s five-for is a memorable moment for Abbas. To be honest, we’re trying to do our best with both batting and bowling,” the captain said.
Saud Shakeel offers resistance
Pakistan’s chase of 389 ultimately ended at 194, with the innings lasting 50.5 overs.
Among the few positives for Pakistan was the determined effort from Saud Shakeel, who produced a fighting knock of 97 from 122 balls. His innings included 13 fours and two sixes and provided the bulk of Pakistan’s resistance during the collapse.
Babar specifically praised Saud for showing “class and determination” despite the mounting pressure.
However, Saud’s effort was not enough to prevent Pakistan from being bowled out, leaving England with a convincing 194-run victory and a strong position in the three-match series.
The defeat also leaves Pakistan with important questions to address, particularly in their batting, ahead of the next Test. With England’s bowlers repeatedly finding breakthroughs, Pakistan will need greater consistency and stronger partnerships if they are to respond in the final match of the series.
