Sami Chaudhry's column on Pakistan vs West Indies: 'Such fielding can beat luck'
Fate is involved in every aspect of life, but its relationship with Test cricket is a bit more strange and complicated.
The same ball that fell to the ground in front of Mohammad Rizwan's eyes in the closing moments of the match, if it had touched the bat from a slightly different angle, Pakistan would have taken the lead in the series with a very memorable victory.
And this unexpected victory would have covered up many of the shortcomings of the last four days. No one is saying that the failure of the top order is licking this batting line like a whip. No one remembers why there is so much confusion in Imran Butt's footwork.
Mohammad Rizwan's excellent catch near the boundary between four fielders would have been saved in all the memories. Imran Butt's grabbing from the second slip and grabbing the catch in front of Abid Ali would have gone viral in YouTube videos.
Shaheen Shah Afridi's first spell would have been the highlight of the match and this victory would have covered all the drop catches made by Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Abbas and Hassan Ali.
But fate had to go its own way, so it went. After the tea break, on average, there were two balls in each over that the batsmen could not touch even if they wanted to. This was very encouraging for Pakistani bowlers. But the West Indies batsmen, on the other hand, were fortunate that many balls, despite taking a very dangerous 'edge', remained out of reach of stumps and nearby fielders.
However, it was a very interesting test cricket demonstration that was seen in Jamaica in the last four days. The pitch beat all expectations and estimates and the batsmen of both the teams were left wondering what could be the successful technique on this wicket.
On the first day, the savage Sam Movement disturbed the batsmen. The second evening seemed a little easier for wicket-keeping, but on the third morning, it was perfect for bowling again. For a while, the partnership between Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan seemed to be in a constant mood, but suddenly the rain made it difficult again.
It was a strange green top where many balls started to sit perfectly from the third day. In the commentary box, Colin Croft rightly analyzed that if there was no such humidity in the air, the grass would have dried on the third day, but the humid weather also kept the grass alive and the double bounce of the wicket in the process of natural dissolution of West Indian conditions. Separately left the batsmen dizzy.
But if Babar Azam's team wants any significant performance in the current cycle of the Test Championship, then this batting unit will have to create the same passion and consistency as its bowling unit. The margins of West Indies' victory could have been much better if the Pakistani seamers had not bowled such devastating bowling as the West Indies had to chase.
It was also a great match for Babar Azam. Although he did not win, he managed to get the finesse and insight required to defend a small group. He made the best use of the bowlers and most importantly, he kept his senses even during the difficult moments of the Blackwood partnership.
It would be an exaggeration to say that Pakistan lost this match because of its bad cricket. Except for two sessions, Pakistan played the best cricket but the only shortcoming was the partnerships. In order to save the series, this batting line will also have to maintain its prestige in the next match.
In all the analyzes before the series, it was agreed that the test would be West Indian batting as Pakistani batting had made its position clear in the recent few series. But Brathwaite's comrades reversed this assumption and put it on Pakistan.
If Pakistan is to keep the dream of the championship alive, it is certain that such fielding can beat the winners as it can disappoint even the lucky ones.