LEEDS: Pakistan’s stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha has acknowledged that his own poor form, along with that of Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, is a major concern after England handed Pakistan a heavy defeat in the first Test.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, Salman said England had outclassed Pakistan in every department, with the visitors failing to maintain consistency throughout the match.
“England outclassed us in every department. We could not perform consistently in any area,” Salman said, adding that his team had the ability to compete but failed to execute its plans.
The all-rounder admitted that the form of himself, Rizwan and Saud was worrying for the team.
“I accept that I, Rizwan and Saud are not performing. The form of the three of us is a concern,” he said.
Salman also pointed to the limited preparation time in England, saying Pakistan arrived only a week before the Test, which was not enough time to properly adapt to the conditions.
“Playing in England is always challenging for Pakistan. Things are difficult for us here, and arriving just a week before the match was not enough to adjust to the conditions,” he said.
The stand-in captain described the Pakistan side as being in a rebuilding phase, particularly with an inexperienced bowling attack.
“Our bowling attack is less experienced, but we are not concerned about the future, as we are preparing for it,” Salman said.
Talking about the importance of consistency in the overseas series, Salman stated that any team can make a comeback in the test match whenever it wants.
Pakistan lost the opening test match by an innings and 103 runs, giving England the 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Salman also said that Pakistan has to show significant improvement in the away series, as Pakistan is facing difficulty in performing in foreign conditions.
He also expressed hope that Babar Azam will be ready to play in the next test match.
England Thrash Pakistan by an Innings and 103 Runs in First Test
Earlier, England crushed Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs in just three days in the first Test match at Headingley on Friday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
England were dismissed for 409 in the first innings and took a 238-run lead when Pakistan were bowled out for 171 in their first innings. Harry Brook led the way for England by scoring 91 runs whereas Jordan Cox, Joe Root, and Dan Lawrence scored 50 runs each.
Pakistan could not handle the pace bowling of England in the second innings and lost all of its wickets at the score of 135.
Mohammad Rizwan scored 41 runs for Pakistan, which was the highest score for him in the innings, while Shan Masood made 29 runs and Abdullah Shafique scored 15 runs. Saud Shakeel scored 14 runs, while Khurram Shahzad and Ali Usman scored 8 and 7 runs respectively.
Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, and Jofra Archer grabbed three wickets each as the batting order of Pakistan folded down.
In the first innings, Pakistan got out for 171 runs, where Abdullah Shafique scored 61 runs and Imam-ul-Haq made 42 runs. In the first innings, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue grabbed five wickets each for England.
The comprehensive win has given England an early edge in the three-match Test series.
The second Test between Pakistan and England is going to start at Lord’s on August 27, while the third Test will be played at Edgbaston from September 9.
