CAPE TOWN – Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has given a ridiculous reasonfor the collapse of Pakistan batting line.
Skipper has cited ‘mental pressure’ as the reason why his side have becomeso prone to collapses in key moments of Test matches, pointing to aparticular occasion which has served as the catalyst for their fourthinnings woes.
South African quicks Duanne Olivier and Kagiso Rabada did the majority ofthe damage as Pakistan crumbled from 101/2 to 190 all out, the Proteassecuring a comfortable six-wicket victory in the first Test.
The middle-order batting collapse has been a recurring issue for Sarfraz’smen in recent times, one that that he links back to a match in Hamiltonagainst New Zealand in 2016, where chasing 369, Pakistan capitulated from159/1 to 230 all out.
“Since Hamilton this is happening. We will have to sort this out goingforward. The responsibility lies on everyone: the players and the coachingstaff,” said the Pakistan skipper, who went on to describe how thepsychological pressure has affected his batsmen.
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“We take a lot of mental pressure and because of which we are unable toperform in the fourth or second innings. We are struggling in the secondinnings (in the last two years). We do get starts but then a wicket fallswhich initiates a collapse. It has been a while now.”
Sarfraz himself bagged a pair in the opening Test against the Proteas-which began on Boxing Day and was wrapped up on day three- while fellowmiddle-order batters Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq both failed to contributesignificant numbers in either innings.
