It makes perfect sense that the series concluded with a comical Pakistan run out. After all, in conditions where their batsmen needed to show resilience and display sound technique, they were fickle and inept, both in their approach and strokes. Their batting collapses, due to abysmal shot selection, remained a regular feature. So much so that even on what turned out be the last day of the series, Pakistan lost the core of its middle-order – Babar Azam, Sarfraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq for 17 runs.
It is not like Pakistan were given a chance to win the series. However, at no stage over the three-match series, the visitors pushed the hosts really on the backfoot. The tourists often found opportunities to grasp the game, but from time to time, they squandered them. It happened in Centurion when Fakhar Zaman dropped Temba Bavuma in South Africa’s pursuit of 149. It happened when Pakistan lost their last nine wickets for 89 runs after posting 101 for the loss of just one wicket in the second innings at Newlands. It happened twice at the Wanderers – both on Day 1and Day 3.
Pakistan’s head coach, Mickey Arthur, was optimistic about the visitors’ chances when he arrived in South Africa. But, does this performance serve as a reality check for the Pakistan camp? “It obviously is [a reality check],” he said. “I am extremely disappointed. We’ve had our moments and we did not take them. Having said that, South Africa were outstanding. Their bowling kept coming at us and one thing I know that was going to be tested was our young batting group. There are a lot of positives in that department.
