The Resurrection of Pakistan Cricket: From Multan’s Graves to Rawalpindi’s Heights

Two weeks ago, Pakistan cricket lay seemingly dead and buried. The obituary was written, the body interred beneath the scorching Multan sun. But in true, mythical Pakistani fashion, what seemed like the lifeless remnants of a once-proud side stirred. It clawed its way back from the grave, shedding decay with every stride, not just to haunt England but to bewilder critics and revive the legend that defines Pakistan cricket—the art of impossible comebacks.

As the series progressed, the ashes of a fractured side scattered over Multan were swept up by a rising storm. A transformation was underway. Like a phoenix, Pakistan cricket emerged—beating wings of grit and unpredictability—soaring to heights only they dare to dream. When the battle concluded in Rawalpindi, England, the aggressors, stood bewildered and broken, reduced from record-breakers to vanquished travellers in unfamiliar terrain. It was Pakistan at its quintessential best, reminding the world why they remain the most enigmatic and dangerous side in world cricket.  

From Bazball to Baffled: Unmasking England’s Kryptonite

England had arrived armed with their flamboyant, fearless “Bazball” strategy—a revolution of relentless aggression. But revolutions, too, have their undoing. Pakistan dismantled Bazball not with brute force, but with subtle mastery. The key was an audacious gamble: abandon pace, embrace spin. On home soil, they rolled out turning tracks from Day 1, entrusting the outcome to wily spinners and dogged batsmanship rather than pace-heavy Twenty20 bowlers.  

Pakistan’s response was anything but predictable, turning to forgotten soldiers like Noman Ali and Sajid Khan. It was a high-risk, high-reward manoeuvre—and it worked. On surfaces designed to erode the visitor’s confidence, England’s batters faltered, undone by turn, drift, and guile. As the dust settled, Pakistan had not only levelled the series but also clinched a momentous win in Rawalpindi, securing a long-awaited home series victory after three and a half years.

The Phoenix Rises: Grit and Glory in the Crucial Moments 

Pakistan cricket’s biggest challenge over the past year was not talent but temperament. They had stumbled in critical junctures, surrendering from seemingly winning positions—a pattern that demanded change. And this time, when the moment came, they chose *resilience.* In the second and third Tests, where collapse seemed imminent, the batsmen rediscovered the value of patience and grit.  

None embodied this transformation more than Saud Shakeel. His stoic 134 off 223 balls was an innings of survival and defiance. It wasn’t just another hundred; it was an assertion that Pakistan would no longer squander opportunities. Shakeel’s innings was crucial, not just because of the runs, but because it anchored the team during troubled waters. Lower-order contributions from Noman Ali (45) and Sajid Khan (48 not out) provided the perfect support, stitching partnerships of 88 and 72 to propel Pakistan to a vital first-innings lead of 77.  

The bowlers, in turn, played their roles to perfection. Noman and Sajid—armed with the knowledge that every turn of the ball would bite into England’s resolve—tore through the visitor’s batting line-up. The third day witnessed a collapse that exemplified Pakistan’s mystique: their spinners ran rampant, England crumbled, and Pakistan clinched victory with panache.

Unpredictable but Unrelenting: The Way Forward

Pakistan’s story is one of defiance. It is a side that thrives in chaos yet remains maddeningly inconsistent. They are a team capable of genius and disaster in the same breath, and unpredictability remains both their strength and their Achilles' heel. This series win is a reminder that the phoenix has risen again, but the real challenge is sustainability.  

Too often, Pakistan has dazzled with fleeting brilliance only to sink back into mediocrity. The victories earned here were forged through discipline, strategic thinking, and hard work—qualities that cannot be taken for granted. If Pakistan are to reclaim their place among cricket's elite, they must now build on these triumphs with consistency and purpose.  

The phoenix may have soared over Rawalpindi, but the blue skies of international cricket demand more than momentary flights. The future lies in nurturing this momentum, shedding complacency, and mastering the delicate balance between flair and discipline. Only then can Pakistan truly escape the gravitational pull of inconsistency that has long been their undoing.  

This is Pakistan cricket—maddening, majestic, and mythical. They are not just survivors but shape-shifters, capable of turning defeat into triumph at will. And as history shows, those who underestimate Pakistan do so at their peril. After all, they remain what they have always been—the most unpredictable, thrilling force in world cricket.

Thank You 

Faisal Caesar 

The Illusion of Stardom: Is Babar Azam Truly a Test Cricket Great?

Cricket, especially the longest format, has a way of separating the sublime from the ordinary, exposing the cracks that might remain hidden in the flashier formats of the game. In recent years, Babar Azam, Pakistan’s captain and premier batsman, has found himself at the crossroads of hype and reality, with a growing critique of his performance, particularly in Test cricket. 

Despite the glittering reputation built on his exploits in limited-overs cricket, Babar’s Test career, spanning almost a decade, leaves much to be desired when placed alongside the modern-day greats of the game.

In the first Test against England at Multan, on a dead pitch that offered no demons, Babar Azam’s dismissal—trapped LBW for the 13th time—exposed deeper vulnerabilities in his technique and mental approach. It marked another chapter in his ongoing lean patch, a barren stretch of 651 days without the spark of brilliance expected from someone frequently compared to Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. Yet, Babar’s stardom often appears to exist without substance, with his Test performances crumbling under the weight of those lofty comparisons.

Technically, Babar has always shown promise but never reached the levels of his contemporaries. Where Kohli, Williamson, and Root have mastered their craft across conditions, often carrying their teams on their shoulders, Babar’s performances have been inconsistent, especially when the stakes are highest. His dismissals often betray a lack of mental fortitude, exposing a batsman who wilts under pressure rather than thriving in it.

Against Bangladesh, Pakistan faced the embarrassment of a whitewash at home, and Babar’s inability to anchor his side only deepened the question marks over his status as a great in the making. The test against England offered a golden opportunity for redemption, especially on familiar, flat tracks where runs should come easily. Yet, once again, Babar faltered, leaving behind a trail of missed opportunities that now define his Test career.

It is one thing to score heavily at home, but the true test of greatness is the ability to dominate away from the comforts of home turf. In Pakistan, Babar averages over 60, a figure that flatters but also misleads. His numbers plummet in more challenging conditions—Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand being particularly unkind. In Australia, a country where the best rise to the occasion, Babar averages a mere 29.50. South Africa and New Zealand haven’t been much kinder, with his averages there languishing below 35.

This struggle against seam, swing, and pace underscores a critical gap in Babar’s technical proficiency. His footwork, particularly against quality fast bowling, appears hesitant, and his decision-making outside the off-stump has often led to his undoing. For a player lauded as Pakistan’s best since Younis Khan, such vulnerabilities are alarming, especially when placed against the consistent dominance of the likes of Steve Smith or Kane Williamson in these same conditions.

The hallmark of greatness is not just consistency but also the ability to deliver iconic innings in pressure-cooker situations. Think of Brian Lara’s unforgettable 400*, or Steve Smith’s Ashes heroics. Kohli has multiple defining performances in hostile territories, with hundreds in South Africa and England that cement his legacy. Unfortunately, Babar has no such innings to his name.

Even Babar’s highest Test score—196 against Australia in Karachi in 2022—was played on a placid surface, devoid of any real challenges for the batsmen. While it was an admirable innings, it came in a drawn game, failing to shift the tide in Pakistan’s favor. The lack of a series-defining knock in his near-decade-long Test career is telling, especially for a player hailed as a superstar.

In cricket-mad Pakistan, where stars are often made before they are truly tested, Babar Azam’s stardom seems to have outpaced his actual accomplishments. 

His home performances have given fans glimpses of brilliance, but the same cannot be said about his encounters with top-tier teams under tougher conditions. This creates a dissonance between the reality of Babar’s achievements and the inflated expectations surrounding him.

The comparisons with Kohli, Williamson, and Root, though flattering, often serve to highlight the gap between Babar and the truly elite batsmen of his generation. These comparisons, while providing Pakistan fans with hope, also risk making a mockery of Babar’s true standing in the game. 

His overseas record, lack of landmark innings, and continued failures against world-class opposition paint a picture of a batsman still searching for his place among the greats.

At 29, Babar still has time to course-correct, but time alone cannot heal the technical and mental shortcomings that continue to plague his Test career. If he hopes to silence his critics and justify the immense faith placed in him, Babar must adapt, showing resilience in foreign conditions, tightening his technique, and producing the kinds of innings that define careers.

His story is not yet fully written, but as things stand, Babar risks joining the long list of Pakistani cricketers who dazzled with talent but fell short due to poor mental strength, mismanagement, and an over-hyped stardom built on inconsistent foundations.

For Babar, the next chapter of his career will be crucial, for it will determine whether he remains an overrated star or ascends to the heights that his fans desperately wish for him to reach.

Thank You 

Faisal Caesar