Pakistan’s encouraging start to ICC World Test Championship Cycle | Sports

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Pakistan’s emphatic win over the reigning World Test champions South Africa in Lahore not only marked the perfect start to their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign, but also made an important statement about their evolving identity in Test cricket. It was more than a victory. It was a declaration that Pakistan, when focused and composed, could still dominate world-class opponents, especially at home.

The Gaddafi Stadium witnessed a contest that tested Pakistan’s mettle as much as its mettle. The home side, which had endured an indifferent previous WC cycle, entered it with new purpose and clarity. Led by Shaun Masood, Pakistan beat South Africa by a convincing margin after lunch on the fourth day, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. The win, achieved through a combination of disciplined spin bowling, tactical awareness, and flashes of brilliance with the bat, offered both relief and hope to Pakistan fans.

Masood’s leadership is defined by a clear tactical philosophy: prepare pitches that produce results, rely on batting discipline early, and dictate terms to the spinners as the game progresses. The Lahore Test went to perfection after this script. After winning a crucial toss, Masood took home advantage. Half-centuries from Imam-ul-Haq, Shaan Masood, Muhammad Rizwan, and Agha Salman enabled Pakistan to post a solid first innings total. South Africa, in reply, struggled to cope with the twist and variable bounce, conceding a 109-run lead that proved decisive.

But beneath the excitement lies an uncomfortable truth. This formula, though it seems likely, depends on factors beyond Pakistan’s control, particularly the toss. Had Aiden Markram been called up correctly that first morning, the match could have easily followed a different trajectory. Pakistan’s success at home depends on terms that match their strengths and their opponents’ weaknesses. While this practical approach matches familiar soil, it raises questions about stability abroad.

Despite the eventual dominance, Pakistan’s batting showed a familiar fragility. Twice in the match, the team stumbled from commanding positions into mini-collapses that exposed their mental errors under pressure. From 199 for 2 in the first innings, Pakistan suddenly lost three wickets without adding a run. Later, after a promising partnership between Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel in the second innings, they collapsed again, losing six wickets for just 17 runs.

These were not just statistical rates. They reflected deep issues of temperament and decision-making. Head coach Azhar Mehmood’s post-match comments about “shot selection and mental errors” are at the core of Pakistan’s recurring problem: the inability to consolidate advantage. Often, a promising innings is derailed by a deceptive stroke with a lack of quick maturity. Saud Shakeel’s ugly aerial shot before tea, when Pakistan needed stability, symbolized this old weakness in a new cycle.

Another obvious concern is Pakistan’s chronic inability to convert fifties into hundreds. Four batsmen reached half-centuries in the first innings, yet none went to triple figures. The Imam fell seven short; Agha Salman also died in the 90s, after building a valuable position. The pattern is familiar and disturbing. It is not a question of skill, the Pakistani batsmen clearly have the technique to begin with, but of mental endurance. A big innings won the Test match. Pakistan’s top-order, for all its promise, has consistently fallen short in their preparation.

Babar Azam’s contribution, though steady, falls short of expectations from a player of his calibre. Scores of 23 and 42 from Pakistan’s premier batsmen look respectable in isolation but underwhelming in context. Their inability to convert promising starts in defining the innings indicates the need for greater accountability at the top. For Pakistan to truly compete in the WTC, Babar must not only anchor but dominate.

If Pakistan’s batting raised questions, their bowling provided emphatic answers. In a level that slowly crumbled, Nouman Ali’s ten-wicket haul stood as the deciding factor. Backed by the returning Shaheen Shah Afridi, who struck with both the new and old balls, Pakistan’s attack dismantled South Africa with a combination of guile and aggression.

Shaheen Afridi’s late spell, four wickets in eleven balls, was a reminder that pace remains a potent weapon even on spin-friendly tracks. His reverse swing not only sealed the match but also highlighted the importance of balance in Pakistan’s bowling approach. While Masood’s spin is dependent on the payoff, Pakistan must resist the temptation to overdo it. Slowing down the pace for a supporting role that has obscured one of Pakistan’s traditional strengths, a weapon crucial for tours abroad where conditions won’t change as quickly.

To their credit, South Africa fought hard despite adverse conditions. Senoran Muthousami’s eleven wickets in the match were the best ever by a South African spinner, and the batting resistance shown by Rickelton and Brews briefly sparked hope. Still, Pakistan’s command of the match was never in doubt. The first-day partnership between Imam and Masood had already tilted the balance, ensuring that South Africa were always chasing the game.

The visitors’ struggles against spin revealed their technical limitations and the psychological weight of playing from behind after losing the toss. In the end, Pakistan’s home conditions proved too much for the world champions to master.

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