Lahore: Pakistan head coach Azhar Mahmood delivered a stern rebuke to his batters after a shocking collapse against South Africa in the first Test at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, blaming poor shot selection for squandering a position of dominance.
With Pakistan leading by 259 runs on a deteriorating pitch and six wickets in hand, the hosts seemed in full control. However, in a stunning 45-minute implosion, they lost six wickets for just 17 runs, setting South Africa a chaseable target of 277.
“We put ourselves in this situation,” Mahmood said at the post-match press conference, quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “We were 150 for 4 and then lost 6 for 17. No one is to blame but our shot selection and decision-making. The pitch didn’t get anyone out — our choices did. If we’re going to play on such surfaces, we must develop the patience to bat long.”
Pakistan’s tendency to lose wickets in clusters has been a recurring issue. Even in the first innings, they slumped from 199/2 to 199/5 before a 163-run stand between Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha stabilized the innings, only for another collapse to follow — the last five wickets falling for just 16 runs.
Mahmood stressed that Pakistan’s inability to convert starts into big scores was another key shortcoming. “On this pitch, batting gets easier once you’re set. Abdullah [Shafique] and Babar [Azam] made 40s, but we need them to turn those into hundreds,” he said. “It’s not easy, but we have to adapt and find scoring options on slow tracks. The pressure got to the middle and lower order — we wanted to bat through the session after tea but didn’t.”
The coach’s frustration was evident when discussing Saud Shakeel’s dismissal before tea. After reaching 38, Shakeel attempted an ill-judged lofted shot against Senuran Muthusamy and was caught at square leg — a turning point that incensed Mahmood.
“You have to understand when you’re vulnerable in Test cricket — often just before breaks,” Mahmood said. “Saud didn’t need to take that risk before tea. Then, Rizwan fell right after. We sent in Shaheen [Shah Afridi] to accelerate, but the others didn’t need to follow that approach. Even 25–30 more runs at that point would’ve made a huge difference.”
The coach’s blunt assessment left little doubt — Pakistan’s downfall was self-inflicted, rooted in poor discipline and a lack of tactical awareness.
