{"id":198418,"date":"2026-07-29T06:52:22","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T12:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198418"},"modified":"2026-07-29T06:52:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T12:22:22","slug":"pakistan-crickets-test-crisis-deepens-as-babar-azams-return-fails-to-stop-latest-batting-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198418","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan cricket’s Test crisis deepens as Babar Azam’s return fails to stop latest batting collapse"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

Pakistan is, arguably, in its worst phase in Test cricket. Since the start of 2024, it has won just four matches and lost 11. The latest defeat came on Tuesday when it was bowled out for 120 while chasing 211 against West Indies in the first Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.<\/p>\n

The loss was Pakistan\u2019s fourth in five matches in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, leaving it rooted to the bottom of the points table.<\/p>\n

The poor run also prompted the Pakistan Cricket Board to reappoint Babar Azam as Test captain after Shan Masood\u2019s 16-match tenure ended with 12 defeats and just four wins.<\/p>\n

Babar\u2019s return signals Pakistan\u2019s search for stability, at least on the field, even as turmoil continues off it, with frequent changes in coaches and PCB leadership.<\/p>\n

However, much like its off-field instability, Pakistan\u2019s batting has also developed a habit of collapsing under pressure. Against West Indies, it slumped from 244 for three to 282 all out in the first innings, losing seven wickets for just 38 runs. In the second innings, it was reduced to 71 for nine before Babar Azam and Mohammad Abbas added 49 runs for the final wicket.<\/p>\n

Since the start of 2024, Pakistan has averaged 26.63 runs per wicket, better only than West Indies (23.55) and Zimbabwe (24.26). In the current WTC cycle, however, it has the lowest batting average among all teams at 25.57.<\/p>\n

After defeating South Africa in the first Test in 2025, Pakistan lost the second Test at home before suffering a 0-2 series defeat against Bangladesh. In each of those matches, the batting either collapsed after promising starts or failed to get going altogether.<\/p>\n

West Indies starts favourite<\/b><\/p>\n

Pakistan arrived in the Caribbean as the underdog for the opening Test. West Indies\u2019 pace attack, comprising Jayden Seales, Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph, has been central to the team\u2019s resurgence over the last two years.<\/p>\n

Since the start of 2024, West Indies\u2019 fast bowlers have claimed 267 wickets, the fourth-most among Test-playing nations, at an average of 27.55.<\/p>\n

In 11 Tests during the current WTC cycle alone, the quicks have taken 144 wickets. Among fast bowlers, Seales is fifth on the wicket-takers\u2019 list with 33 scalps, followed by Shamar (32) in sixth, Greaves (25) in 11th, Roach (20) in 14th and Alzarri (19) in 15th.<\/p>\n

Facing such an in-form pace attack was always going to be a stern challenge for a Pakistan batting unit still searching for consistency. On a relatively fresh pitch, Shan Masood led the resistance with 109 while Imam-ul-Haq made 63. But the lower order folded against the home side\u2019s quicks, allowing West Indies to secure a 29-run first-innings lead.<\/p>\n

In the second innings, with the ball seaming sharply almost every delivery, Greaves and Seales proved too much to handle. Babar offered resistance with an unbeaten 58, but wickets kept tumbling at the other end, a familiar pattern that has come to define Pakistan\u2019s recent struggles in Test cricket.<\/p>\n

Published on Jul 29, 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pakistan is, arguably, in its worst phase in Test cricket. Since the start of 2024, it has won just four matches and lost 11. The latest defeat came on Tuesday when it was bowled out for 120 while chasing 211 against West Indies in the first Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":198419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-198418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AFP_C3ER7N2.jpg","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":198298,"url":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=198298","url_meta":{"origin":198418,"position":0},"title":"WI vs PAK, 1st Test: Jayden Seales takes 5 wickets as West Indies beats Pakistan by 90 runs","author":"Ajay Kumar Verma","date":"July 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"West Indies completed a 90-run win in the first Test after Pakistan captain Babar Azam made an unbeaten 58 and shared a rearguard stand of 49 with No. 11 Mohammad Abbas to delay the end. 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