Pakistan host England in the second of three Test matches from January 25 at Abu Dhabi.
The home team went 1-0 up after winning the first game rather easily. It would have been an innings win had it not been for some gritty lower-order batting but as it turned out, Pakistan won by 10 wickets.
England wicket-keeper Matt Prior described the loss as a slap in the faces of the number one Test team, who had come into the series with many expectations. Unfortunately for them, their much-vaunted batting line-up caved in face of some excellent spin bowling.
Saeed Ajmal was the hero of the game, ending it with a 10-wicket haul including seven wickets in the first innings. His ‘doosra’ was rarely read by the English batsmen and it will be interesting to see how they respond in the second Test match.
The English bowling did not meet with too much success either and chances are that they will look to get in an extra spinner. If Monty Panesar does get a game, Chris Tremlett may have to sit out.
The batting should remain the same despite all the failures. However, there will be questions asked of Ian Bell’s fitness, who had come into the game with some sort of a niggle and scored a duck and four in the two essays. Alastair Cook had a rare off-game but should come good eventually.
Pakistan were propped in their batting by four half-centuries, including two by openers Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar. Hafeez’s confidence has grown in the last 18 months or so and he has gone on to become the team’s Mr. Reliable.
Of course, there are areas of improvement for the Pakistani batting as well. None of the four who got past 50, managed a three-figure score and three of them got out before they got to 62. It was okay in a game where the opposition were bowled out for 192, but they would do better than to give up on decent batting conditions and get out after getting a start.
The track at Abu Dhabi should be a belter – two matches here have already produced two high-scoring draws and three double-centuries. Unless England capitulate tamely once again, their batsmen should find the conditions here better than the ones back in Dubai.
The Pakistan v England 2nd Test match will begin at 6.00 am GMT on January 25.
