Rediscovering the killer instinct

At the end of the first day’s play of the second test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Dubai, both teams found themselves in a position fairly similar to the one they were in at the same stage of the first test. Even though Misbah lost the toss, the Pakistani bowlers were able bundle out the opposition for 239. The team built upon the positives from the first test, with Pakistani bowlers carrying on their form from the first test. Umar Gul and Junaid Khan rocked the Sri Lankan top order, and then Saeed Ajmal and Abdul Rehman took care of the tail. Even the openers were able to get through nine tricky overs at the end of the day without getting out.

Although in the early part of the day, it seemed that Pakistan had learnt from their mistakes of the first test, they returned to their old habits as the day progressed. Before the match, the interim coach Mohsin Khan and captain Misbah ul Haq were critical of the team’s fielding display in the first test and promised a much better show in the second test. In the very first session of the match, the Pakistani skipper latched on to three catches to show his team how it is done. But with Taufeeq Umar, Younis Khan, and the culprit of the last match Muhammad Hafeez spilling regulation chances later on, it seemed the message wasn’t all that clear.

However, it wasn’t just the fielding lapses that continued from the first test, Pakistan’s killer instinct was again nowhere to be found in this match. As Mohsin Khan pointed out in the lead up to the series, “You can be the best bowler, batsman or fielder, but if you are not mentally strong then you will rarely succeed at the top level of cricket.” Pakistan’s performance in the first test went on to prove those words. The match saw some outstanding performances with the bat and ball by the Pakistanis. The bowlers were able to wreck havoc on a lifeless pitch. Then Pakistan was able to amass more than 500 runs and claim a first innings lead of more than 300. Yet they weren’t able to put the final touches on to the game.

Time and again, they found their opponent wobbling, but they weren’t able to strike that knockout blow. Every time they left the door open for the Sri Lankans to claw back in to the game, and with class acts like Kumar Sangakkara at the other end, one shouldn’t expect to sail back safely after doing so.

Even today, Sri Lanka were down on the mat at 73 for 5 after they lost Angelo Mathews, but Pakistanis let the debutant Kaushal Silva put up a fifty-run partnership with the resilient Sangakkara. Even more frustrating was to see Sri Lankan number nine and ten batsmen, Rangana Herath and ChanakaWelegedara, put on 75 for the ninth wicket taking the Sri Lankan total from 154 for 8 to 239 all out. The fact that these fans were once used to watching Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib, etc. knocking off the opposition’s tail in no time makes it even more painful to see the opposition’s tail wag on such a frequent basis.

It is high time that Misbah and Mohsin turn their attention towards to this inability of the team to overcome the final hurdle. Pakistan certainly have the players to get the job done, all they need are more aggressive strategies and that killer instinct. While it might be possible to overcome today’s fielding lapses with a solid batting display tomorrow and a tidy performance in the field in Sri Lanka’s second innings, unless Pakistan is able to completely shut the door on the Sri Lankans, Pakistan might not go to Sharjah one up in the series.