Second Test Score Card
Pakistan 570 / 6 [ Younis Khan 213 , Azhar Ali 109 , Misbah Ul Haq 101 ,Mohammad Hafiz 45,Mitchel Starc 2/86 ] and 293 /3 [ Misbah Ul Haq 101* , Azhar Ali 100* , M G Johnson 2/45 ]   beat  Australia  261 all out [ MR Marsh 87 ,MJ Clark 47 , Imran Khan 3/60, Rahat Ali 2/41 ,Yasir Shah 2/49, Zulfiqur Babar 2/94 ] and 246 [SPD Smith 97 ,  DA Warner 58 ,  MR Marsh47 , Zulfiqur Babar 5/120 , Yasir Shah 3/44, Mohammad Hafiz 2/ 38] by 356 Runs.

Man of The Match: Misbah Ul Haq , Man of The Series : Younis Ahmed.

Very impressive Pakistan outplaying miserable Australia in all facets of cricket comprehensively won the two test series in their home away from home. The victory margins of 221 and 356 speak of itself the level on one sided affair it was. If Dubai test shocked Australia the Abu Dhabi test rocked them.

After the ODI series Kangaroo Wash Pakistan team spirit was at its lowest. Many thought Australians will handed over another white wash especially when all front line Pakistani bowlers were unavailable for different reasons. But under inspiring and able leadership of mercurial Misbah Ul Huq and superlative batting performance of tried and tested Younis Khan Pakistan mercilessly punished Australians in desert heat . The comprehensive series white wash takes Pakistan to impressive position three from seven.

With New Zealand their next competitor in UAE and changed Pakistan looking menacing Pakistan may climb further up. Australia will host strong India . But on a different surface and different environment Australia may bounce back. But it may take a while for Australia to forget the desert nigh mare. Australia got a series white wash (4-0) against India in India in not too distant past.

But this time the losses were more humiliating, the contests were more one way traffic.

We are sure there will be lot of soul searching, lot of critical analysis. What actually went wrong? The wickets were lifeless, low slow. True it did not assist Australian pace bowling much. But on such wickets Pakistani batsmen played like true champions. Nine centuries were scored off Australian bowling in four innings.

Younis Khan alone scored three in consecutive innings, Azhar Ali and Mishbah Ul Haq scored two each, Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq and Sarfaraz Ahmed scored one each.

For Australians David Warner scored the lone century .Wickets cannot be any excuse. If raw Pakistan attack could tease and torment Australians on the surface why Australian batsmen had no clues?

Is it lack of technique? Is it lack of skill?  ? Is it lack of temperament? Or is it combination of all?

Australian wickets have pace and bounce. Batsmen can play more on the back foot. UAE wickets had virtually very little bounce. Bowlers usually have to pitch up and batmen mostly have to play forward, apply sweeps, try to take the bowling on the full through dancing down the wicket.

Younis Khan showed the correct way how to play on such wicket. Australian team in future when they come to play in the subcontinent and especially in UAE must learn lessons from Younis batting videos. Very often Australian batsmen went on back foot misreading the length and were trapped plumb in front.

Chris Rogers was a total flop, Warner played some good Innings but could not change his game when situation required, neither Doolan nor his replacement Maxwell could deliver, star batsman Michael Clark was completely out of sorts. Smith and debutant Mitch Marsh looked impressive but could not rescue the team from deep hole. In the second Innings of the Abu Dhabi test on the last day impressive batting by Smith and Marsh were showing a ray of hope of saving the test .But once Smith got out at 238 Australia collapsed losing the last five wickets for eight runs.

Australian bowling was awfully miserable .Other than M G Johnson rest of them was mere pedestrians Siddle and Starc struggled to adjust their line and length. Lyon was hammered all around the park. Compared to Pakistani spinners Australian spinners looked like novice. While Pakistani claimed 40 Australian wickets Australins could take only 20 in two tests at phenomenal average of 80.15. Even Australian ground fielding and catching was terribly poor. The performance of the team in all departments requires thorough rethinking. The batsmen lacked technique of batting against quality spin on slow low turning track. They lacked temperament and application.

Pakistan on the other hand were surprisingly impressive and consistent. We do not think Pakistan in recent times played so consistently. No one ever doubts about quality of Pakistan team but over the recent past it rarely played consistently well like they did over the last two test. The batted like true champions, bowled with exemplary discipline and fielded with enthusiasm.

Several records were broken in batting. Younis Khan took his level one step up .His three consecutive test match hundreds including a double century took him to an exclusive club of Sir Donald Bradman and Herbert Sutcliffe. Azhar Ali scored centuries in either innings of Abu Dhabi test. He looked solid number three. Captain cool Misbah also scored twin centuries and in the second innings scored the fastest fifty in 21 deliveries beating the record of Jack Kallis scoring in 24 balls. He went on to equal the fastest century of master blaster Sir Vivian Richards scored in 56 deliveries.Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiqua and Sarfraz Ahmed all made hay while the sun shined. Australian bowlers excepting Johnson had night mares.

Pakistan bowling was very disciplined .Rahat Ali and debutant Imran bowled accurately and maintained controlled .Their reverse swing proved very effective. Zulfiqur Babar took the hell out of Australian batsmen. They failed to read his straighter ones. Babar ruled them with his tweaks and turns. The rookie leggie Yasir Shah also created lot of mystery for the miserable Aussies. Even great Shane Warne was impressed.

Pakistan very deservedly won the series and looks a very different side now. Very soon their leading front line bowlers may return. What a lethal combination it would be when they come. This win will definitely serve as a tonic for Pakistan which had little joy in the recent past. They will definitely play with more confidence against New Zealand and will be in a much better stead in the ICC World Cup.

** Pakistan Rules the Roost

BDST: 1737 HRS, NOV 03, 2014