Multan [Pakistan], January 27 : Pakistan captain Shan Masood pinpointed the "area of concern" for the hosts after suffering a defeat against the West Indies in the second Test in Multan.
Since their historic home Test series whitewash against Bangladesh last year, Pakistan has resorted to a spin-friendly pitch for red-ball cricket. The rank-turner was first used for the second and third Tests against England in October. After a run-scoring spree, England took a 1-0 series lead, but then found themselves struggling for victory. From a flat track to a spin paradise, the English side couldn't cope with the new conditions and succumbed to a 2-1 series defeat.
The trend continued in the two-match series against the West Indies, where Pakistan secured a comfortable 127-run victory in the first Test. However, in the second Test, the tables were turned, and the West Indies fought back to level the series at 1-1.
In the final Test, Pakistan managed to reduce the West Indies to 38/7 in the first innings, but the tail made a remarkable recovery. Gudkesh Motie (55), Jomel Warrican (36*), and Kemar Roach (25) contributed valuable runs to lift the West Indies to 163.
Pakistan had a firm grip on the game when the West Indies were at 38/7. Reflecting on the situation, Masood acknowledged that their struggle to dismiss the tail end quickly is an area of concern.
"The tail not getting wickets is an area of concern, and we need to finish off sides quicker. Against Australia, who have the best tail in the world, we got them out cheaply, but not here, or against Bangladesh or South Africa," Masood said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
"We didn't get the result we wanted. The positive thing was when you field first and you know the fourth innings will be difficult. So you try to restrict the opposition in the first innings. We bowled brilliantly for the first eight wickets. But we've talked about the first innings batting and bowling combining to do well, so you have the advantage in the third and fourth innings. If you look at our batting and bowling, and the mistakes we made collectively, that was a crucial time because their last two wickets cost us dear," he added.
With a 120-run defeat to the West Indies, Pakistan ended the ongoing World Test Championship cycle at the bottom of the standings. Despite a crushing away win over Sri Lanka, Masood's side finished with nine defeats in their last 12 matches.
Masood admitted that Pakistan fell short of expectations while highlighting the fine margins that dictated the outcome of the second Test.
"Batters have been proactive, but we need more contributions. You may not get hundreds here but 30s and 40s contribute to the winning conditions. Kraigg Brathwaite was an ideal example. He took the game on. One batter will need to step up in these conditions especially when the ball is new," he said.
"It's not about holding someone responsible. This isn't an accountability bureau. This is a team effort. Our mistake as a team was the first two innings. That was what set us back, and gave the opposition a degree of freedom. If we had a 100-run lead, I do not think they'd have been able to play in the way they did. We need to understand the direction of matches will be decided very quickly, as early as day one," he added.