Pakistan interim coach Aqib Javed has opened up about the team’s performance in the current edition of the World Test Championship (WTC). Javed feels the Men in Green would have been in contention for a place in the World Trade Center final if better decisions had been made earlier.
The former fast bowler also defended the team’s switch from pace to bowling in the recent home Tests. Pakistan have prepared a different arrangement over the last few Tests at home and continue to adopt the same strategy for the ongoing home run series Against the West Indies.
Aqib Javed talks about Pakistan’s performance in the current session of the World Trade Centre
While speaking to reporters ahead of the second Test between Pakistan and West Indies, Aqib Javed was asked about the team’s performance in the overall World Trade Center tournament. Javed wants his team to win every Test at home as he realizes that the main goal of the World Test Championship is to do well at home.
“People are asking about the direction of our Test cricket. If better decisions had been taken earlier, we might have reached the WTC final or at least we might have been in the running,” Javed said.
“The main goal of the World Test Championship is to win at home at any cost. If you win at home and manage to win at least 2-3 away tests, you are a strong candidate for the final,” he noted.
“People are asking about the direction of our Test cricket. Had better decisions been made earlier, we might have been in the race to reach the WTC final,” Aaqib Javed said. pIC.RThIRRep.CSM/SMThDyDtoagainst6C
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Pakistan have not been at their best in home Tests in this WTC tournament. They lost 0-2 to Bangladesh after the 2024 T20 World Cup and then lost to England in the first Test of the series.
They even lost away series to Australia and South Africa in this tournament to fall out of the race for the World Test Championship final. Currently, they are eighth out of nine difference In the World Trade Center ranking.
Aaqib Javed defends Pakistan’s nation-friendly strategy
Aaqib Javed also defended the team’s strategy to prepare proper spin surfaces at home. Javed feels that the team should be selected based on the pitch and conditions, and here is why Sajid Khan He did not find a place in the team for the tour of South Africa.
“We recently went to South Africa and needed just two wickets to win by 48 runs in the bank. But unfortunately, we couldn’t get the last two wickets. There was no spinner in that team. You need to pick the team accordingly,” he added. “Due to the circumstances,” the former Pakistani player added.
Noman Ali Sajid Khan has been at the forefront of Pakistan’s success in home Tests over the past few months. The duo helped the Men in Green win the final two Tests to seal a series win over England. However, none of them played during the Test series in South Africa which Pakistan lost 0-2.
Pakistan are favored to win the second Test
Currently, Pakistan leads 1-0 in the ongoing Test series against West Indies. The second and final Test of the series will begin on January 25 in Multan. The pitch is expected to favor spin again as it did in the first Test.
Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan were at the forefront of the team’s win in the first Test as well. Left-arm spinner Nauman picked up six wickets in the match which included a five-wicket haul in the first innings.
On the other hand, Sajid Khan finished with figures of 4-65 and 5-50 in both rounds to emerge as the best player of the match. Pakistan will be favorites going into the second Test and are likely to complete the whitewash.
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