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Head coach Aaqib Javed has brushed aside criticism of Pakistan’s reliance on spin bowling as they seek a clean sweep against the West Indies in the second Test starting on Saturday.
Pakistan registered a 127-run victory in three days in the opening Test, with spinners Sajid Khan taking nine wickets, Noman Ali Six and Abrar Ahmed Five for their third consecutive home victory.
West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican also grabbed a career-best 7-32 as 34 of the match’s 40 wickets went to the spinners.
The second Test will also be played on a dry and grassless pitch in the central city of Multan.
Former Pakistani players and analysts have hit out at the spin-heavy strategy, saying the team would struggle on away tours where pitches may not be as conducive to spin.
Aaqib, a fast bowler from an era dominated by great pacemen Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, insisted the onslaught of spin would continue.
“We found that West Indies have a weakness in dealing with spin bowling, so we exploited that and will do it again,” AAQIB said at a press conference on Friday.
West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite had no qualms about Pakistan’s tactics.
“Pakistan are playing at home and if they believe that turning pitches are their strength, that’s good and that’s how cricket is played,” Brathwaite said.
“I’ve played on pitches that took the turn on the first day but not like this, which had cracks on the first day,” he said.
– “Believe in your plan” –
West Indies will be without injured pace bowler Jayden Seles, who took three wickets in the first match and will be replaced by the experienced Kemar Roach.
Pakistan is unlikely to make any changes.
Brathwaite said his batters needed more faith after the first Test, in which his team made just 137 and 123 in two innings, with Alick Athanaze the only one to reach a half-century.
“It was a tough ground to beat in the last game,” Brathwaite said.
“I would say you have to believe in your Ball One plan and not think about the third or fourth ball.”
Pakistan are eighth and West Indies ninth and last on the World Test Championship table.
Another win in Multan could see the hosts move to seventh.
Pakistan were forced to make sweeping changes last year after losing the first of three Tests against England, their 11th consecutive home Test without a win.
The AAQIB-led selection panel dropped out-of-form battalion Babar Azam and rested the magnifying glass of Shah Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
The tactics worked on the pitches suited to Rawalpindi and Pakistan won the series 2-1.
“If we had made these decisions earlier, we would have been in the World Test Championship final,” Aaqib said.
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