Mission impossible: Can Pakistan out-Test Australia in the upcoming tour?

The Pakistan cricket team is set to embark on a near-impossible quest of competing in the three-Test series in the backyard of a side that looks more dangerous than a fire-breathing dragon – Australia – under the leadership of the newly-appointed red-ball skipper Shan Masood.

Yes! You heard it right about the upcoming series being an almost impossible quest because the Australian tours have only given us nothing more than humiliation.

Our performances Down Under are among the darkest chapters of our cricketing history, as we have lost 26 matches and won just four, while in the last five series, Pakistan has suffered whitewashes.

The Australians are looking in red-hot form, being the World Champions, after surprising India in the final to leave the cricket-mad nation of more than 1.4 billion in complete shock and sadness.

In contrast to Australia, Pakistan cricket is in chaos and disarray. The poor results and administrative flaws have engulfed our cricket into shambles.

Shan's first assignment cannot be tougher, than leading his team in Australia – a tour where legendary captains Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, and Misbah-ul-Haq miserably failed.

Although my aim was to write about the power struggle that has been going on in the politically-marred Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) since the beginning of 2023, because of which our cricket is suffering, but as the tour draws closer, it is better to have it for some other day.

Discussing our chances would be suitable to mention in the end, so a sneak peek at those three Australian tours where we had the firepower to topple them but suffered a humiliating whitewash instead would be better.

1979 Series

Pakistan, under the captaincy of Mushtaq Mohammad, managed a sensational 1-1 draw in the three-Test series in 1976-77 against the Greg Chappell-led dangerous Australia side despite a young team, with Imran Khan taking 12 wickets in the last Test at Sydney.

For the 1979 series, the top Australian players were out of their national side due to involvement in the cash-rich Kerry Packer circuit, so one expected Pakistan to win the series, but instead, they managed a 1-1 draw.

Had Sarfaraz Nawaz not delivered a late magical spell in the first Test in Melbourne when he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat – taking nine wickets for just a run to help Pakistan win by 71 runs – we may have lost that series as well as Australia convincingly won the second game.

1999-2000 Tour

Facing defeats in the last five series, among which two were under the captaincy of Imran Khan – in 1983-84 and 1989-90 – the 1999 series promised to be an absolute cracker.

The Australians were at their peak under the leadership of Steve Waugh and had match-winning players like Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Justin Langer, Shane Warne, and Glenn McGrath.

On the other hand, Pakistan also had all bases covered with all-rounders like Azhar Mahmood and Abdul Razzaq.

The pace-trio of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar was world-class. The leg and off-spin combo of Mushtaq Ahmed and Saqlain Mushtaq was also good.

In batting, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam, and Mohammad Yousuf had cemented their names.

However, against the turn of expectations, Pakistan suffered a shocking whitewash. In the first Test at their fortress – Brisbane – Australia outclassed Pakistan as our world-class players failed to display their magic.

During the second Test at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, Pakistan had one last chance to level the series. At one stage, Pakistan had the match in its grasp as half of the Australian batting line was back into the hut for just 126 runs in pursuit of a massive 369-run target on a difficult pitch.

But unfortunately, the sixth wicket partnership of 238 runs between Justin Langer (127) and the young Gilchrist (149) took the match away. It was the time for our pacers to let the ball do the talking, but they faltered when it mattered. Our spinners could have castled both batter's defenses but were abated with ease.

Our fielders could have availed the catches and run-out chances but looked hapless as the young Gilchrist displayed a remarkable show of destructive batting – amassing 149 in just 163 balls with 13 fours and a six to help Australia clinch the series.

The loss at Hobart demotivated the Pakistani team, as they lost the last Test by an innings and 20 runs in Perth to write off yet another humiliating tour that promised surprises and excitement on a sad note.

2016 Series

After levelling the four-match test series in England to become the Number-one red-ball side, Pakistan, despite losing the series in New Zealand, were still favourites to do well in Australia, who were under immense pressure, having suffered a whitewash in Sri Lanka and losing 2-1 at home against South Africa.

Pakistan had in-form batters like Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, and the middle-order duo of skipper Misbah and Younis Khan.

Our bowling attack was also good, comprising Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, and Yasir Shah.

In the first Test in Brisbane, Australia had Pakistan under pressure by giving them a massive 490-run target.

With the poor batting display in the first innings, Pakistani batters looked like a walking wicket, but what Asad Shafiq and the tail-enders made to transpire was astonishing.

Australia pose with trophy after 3-0 win - Cricket Australia

Half of Pakistan's batting line was reduced to 173 after Younis Khan got out for 73 after playing a silly shot against Nathan Lyon.

However, it was then Asad Shafiq's show as he laced 137 with his herculean and gladiatorial efforts, almost snatching an unlikely victory, as Pakistan lost by 39 runs but gathered confidence for the second test.

Unfortunately, they lost the second contest by an innings and 18 runs despite scoring 443 in the first innings, and with the defeat in the last game in Sydney, Pakistan suffered yet another whitewash.

Current Team’s Chances

Meanwhile, if we talk about the chances of the current squad with the new skipper and coaching staff at the helm and considering the current form of Australia. Pakistan, no way near, looks closer to doing well against the Kangaroos.

Firstly, in the past year, changes in the big hierarchy in PCB have made the entire cricketing setup haphazard.

More importantly, not only is our captain Shan new, but the inexperience of the coaching staff raises a big question mark on our decision-making ability.

Our new Team Director, Mohammad Hafeez, may have been a good all-rounder, but he does not have the coaching experience.

It should be noted that touring Australia is no bed of roses for any team, not only due to the fast and bouncy pitches but also because the aggressive and sledging-oriented approach of the Aussies is at its peak when they play in their backyard.

The heat and humid weather, hard ground surfaces, and massive boundaries test the fitness standards of the players.

Apart from players like Shan, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, or Sarfaraz Ahmed, most players in our squad do not have the fitness standards to compete with the current World Test champions.

The Green Shirts' ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been looking half-fit. During the World Cup 2023, his rhythm looked a bit wayward. Moreover, he could not touch the 140 and 150-kph pace mark.

With new players such as Khurram Shehzad, and Aamer Jamal, and as injury looms over Abrar Ahmed, I doubt Pakistan’s bowling ability to take 20 wickets in a Test.

On paper, Pakistan looks like a scattered team, but if the Qudrat ka Nizam intervenes to favour the green shirts, that will be something else.

But, without a doubt, it is only the qudrat ka nizam that can come to our rescue.

However, as they say, fortune favours the brave, therefore, one would expect the qudrat ka nizam to help those who have the will to do better, unlike our system, where people in power only prioritize personal gains over everything.

Will it prove to be so? Let’s keep our fingers crossed as the first Test kicks off in Perth on December 14.

Originally published in Geo Super