‘The Pakistan way’: Test cricket at its best

Let’s rejoice. After Pakistan’s triumphant sweep over Sri Lanka - their first series victory on Sri Lankan soil since 2015 - players celebrated, fans erupted in joy, and coaches radiated satisfaction.

This was no accident of fate – as many of us might believe, given Pakistan’s track record in red-ball cricket for the past one year or so.

In the days leading up to the series, many spectators may have hesitated to back Pakistan due to their less-than-stellar record the previous year. They couldn’t even manage a single Test win on the home soil in the last three Test series, which called for a recalibration of their format approach echoing across the cricketing landscape.

Then, in May, gears shifted, and Pakistan resolved to take the Sri Lankan bull by the horns and play with newfound zest.

What triggered this seismic shift?

The answer can be found in the new guard of team management - Team Director Mickey Arthur and Head Coach Grant Bradburn - who chose to dismantle the old-fashioned, traditional mode of Test cricket, ushering in a novel modus operandi dubbed ‘The Pakistan Way’.

Arthur encapsulates ‘The Pakistan Way’ as a style of victory that embodies “our own culture, our own brand of cricket, our own style.” He emphasised the value of cultural integrity within the team, dismissing the worth of victories that lacked this essential ingredient.

Arthur conveyed that the culture they foster is drawn from resilience, a quality intrinsically linked to the Pakistani psyche. This is the cornerstone of the Cornered Tigers thesis, positing that Pakistan’s cricket is at its most dynamic and formidable when they’re up against the ropes.

In a significant turn, the new coaching squad sought to imbue the players with a sense of immediacy - not waiting for the ambush but emerging as the tiger straight out of the gate.

Change of fortune

The Galle Test allowed Pakistan to demonstrate ‘The Pakistan Way’, evocative of the Bazzball approach that advocates a relentless counter-offensive despite the mounting pressure. Despite a rocky start in the first Test, staring down a 200+ run deficit with just five wickets in hand, a sensational partnership between Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel reversed their fortunes and set them on a path to a substantial lead. Agha remained unfortunate to get out on 83, but Shakeel went on to score a double hundred, the first by any Pakistani on Lankan soil.

As the second Test advanced, Pakistan demonstrated remarkable finesse in bowling, restricting Sri Lanka to a meager 166 runs. In response, they accelerated their scoring pace to nearly 6 runs per over, rapidly erasing the deficit. Their efforts culminated in an astounding total of 576/5, a feat largely attributed to another double century by Abdullah Shafique.

Agha Salman, too put on a splendid performance, crafting an unbeaten 132 off a mere 154 deliveries. The team maintained a run rate of over 4 throughout the innings, effectively outclassing the Sri Lankan spinners at every turn.

Pakistan continued their domination, dismissing Sri Lanka in the second innings for a paltry 188 runs to complete the whitewash.

An all-rounder show

This high-scoring spree, complemented by a disciplined and efficient bowling and fielding performance, marked the ascendancy of a resurgent Pakistan.

Pakistani bowlers, the fast ones especially, kicked off both Test matches with four-wicket hauls in the initial sessions, a masterclass supported aptly by the fielders.

Pakistan’s fielding was a sight to behold, as they scooped 18 catches from mid-air at Galle - a feat which included some notably challenging attempts.

Only one half-chance slipped through their grasp at SSC, Colombo. This dramatic improvement in their fielding can be ascribed to Head Coach Bradburn, who previously donned the hat of the team’s fielding coach.

The future outlook

This new strategy certainly comes with its own set of risks, vacillating between dazzling triumphs and humbling defeats. However, if its successful deployment by Australia and England is any indicator, there’s no reason Pakistan should shy away from this audacious approach.

Test cricket has been said to be losing its charm, but perhaps it’s not charm that it lacks, but the willingness for batters to abandon the safety of their shells and express themselves fully. If this counter-attacking ethos proves successful, pressure will alleviate sooner rather than later, providing the necessary room for bowlers to claim those 20 wickets.

In this light, ‘The Pakistan Way’ may not just be about winning games but saving the Test format itself, invigorating it with a contagious vitality that keeps fans glued to their screens. Very soon, the cricketing world may just also start talking about ‘The Pakistan Way.’

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