Yet another series have ended up in the first half of 2021 cricketing season and visitors (Pakistan) are returning home after losing the T20l series by 2-1 and test series by 2-0 against the hosts (New Zealand). In the ICC Test Rankings New Zealand has jumped to No,1 spot with 118 ranking in 27 matches while Pakistan moves to No.7 spot with 82 ranking in 23 matches just above West Indies, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Babar Azam was ruled out of the tour before the start due to the injury issue and the Pakistan team was looked completely out of ideas in every department to play any game on the tour. But New Zealand has defeated them very badly which will definitely raise the criticism over the Pakistan team board. 16 No-balls from Naseem Shah (frontline fast bowler) in two test matches – he needs to go back in domestic cricket to learn the basics of fast bowling first before any further overseas tour.
Kane Williamson (Captain) (388) runs and Kyle Jamieson (16) wickets in 2 test matches. Mohammad Rizwan (202) runs and Shaheen Afridi (6) wickets in 2 test matches. I think it gives a brief about the Pakistan cricket team spirit on the tour. From top-order to middle-order there was no one who could provide any resistance to the team under any circumstances. Pakistan with a weak captain and line-up makes the situation worse for them. The shot selection, fielding and the way they Pakistan players have dropped the catches it looked like some school level team of Pakistan was playing against New Zealand. Test cricket is very different from the format like PSL and if team management has opted to play with the same team across the formats.
The day is not far away when other teams will not play test cricket with Pakistan team anymore with such intent they have played against New Zealand. The Visitors (Pakistan) were unable to draw both the test matches when there was enough time and wickets in the hands. But still they were in a hurry to end the match to give an easy win for the hosts. Players like Yasir Shah who is only an experienced bowler for Pakistan look very ordinary and effective against New Zealand and also don't feature in the second test match for what reasons. While the New Zealand skipper leading from the front single handedly took away the test series from Pakistan with “Williamson Storm". Moreover, the New Zealand team has performed like a team unit in every department from batting to bowling and never provide any loopholes to the visitors (Pakistan).
The part-timer Kyle Jamieson (16) got more wickets than the Pakistan front line fast bowlers. Where Kane Williamson has entered the 7000 club test runs, Tim Southee has picked up his 300th Test wicket to join the elite list of Sir Richard Hadlee (431) and Daniel Vettori (362) wickets in test cricket from New Zealand. Kane Williamson is awarded player of the series with 388 runs in 4 innings of 2 test matches. Except some individual performances from Fawad Alam and Mohammad Rizwan there was hardly anything to cheer for Pakistan in a one-sided test series contest.
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