Srinagar: Pakistan were humiliated by England on their home turf by registering a 3-0 whitewash in the Test series.
The three match test series ended on Tuesday in Karachi with visitors England registering eight wicket win. Pakistan skipper Babar Azam termed absence of main pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah as the main reason behind defeat.
“We were unfortunate that our main fast bowlers were not fit. The new players did perform but couldn’t execute the way we wanted. When things were in our hands we had soft dismissals in those times and due to that we couldn’t win matches which we should have won,” Babar said in a post match press conference.
Shaheen Afridi was ruled out for the series because of a knee injury while Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah also sustained injuries during the first test which ruled them out for the last two matches.
“Fitness has the main role because if you are not extra fit you cannot compete in all the three formats. You get two to three days to switch from one format to the other and you have to be mentally ready as well,” Babar said.
“When you don’t have the backbone of your bowling, then new bowlers find it difficult to adjust quickly. The way England played, they did not let us settle down,” Babar said.
“It’s a big disappointment that we couldn’t apply ourselves in the series, but we must praise England for the way they played their cricket, we must appreciate that,” he added.
Pakistan will next face New Zealand in two-match Test series followed by three One Day Internationals.