I was pretty happy Mohammad Abbas didn't play: Tim Paine

Australia team decimated Pakistan by an innings and 5 runs in the first Test match of the two-match series at the Gabba in Brisbane. This despite the fact that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan stood upto Australia’s fast bowling attack. Pakistan could have done better if their top order had put on more runs in both innings.

Babar Azam made 104 and Rizwan fell five runs short of a maiden Test century, while Shan Masood and Yasir Shah contributed 42 runs apiece as Pakistan folded for 335 runs. Josh Hazlewood picked 4/63, while Starc picked 3/73 and Pat Cummins took two wickets. In the first innings as well Asad Shafiq (76) was the main anchor with Yasir Shah, and Rizwan making important contributions.

Pretty happy Abbas didn’t play if I’m totally honest, says Paine

Meanwhile, on the other hand, a big talking point was Pakistan’s young pace attack with Shaheen Shah Afridi (19 years) and Naseem Shah (16 years) partnering the 32-year-old Imran Khan in the pace bowling department. However, a surprise was that Mohammad Abbas, previously the no.1 ranked Test bowler was not picked in the playing XI.

Australian captain Tim Paine was actually happy that Abbas didn’t play, given that he had made life difficult for the Kangaroos when they played Pakistan in UAE last year. “I was pretty happy Abbas didn’t play if I’m totally honest. In the UAE on wickets that offered him nothing, he made it move around. They say he may be injured but I’m sure he’ll be looked at pretty closely for the next Test. Our guys know how good he is,” Paine was quoted as saying in Pak Passion.

Paine’s views were similar to that of Yasir Shah, who in the post-match press conference admitted that they missed Mohammad Abbas, who has 62 wickets in 14 Test matches since making his debut in 2017. He averages 18.86 and has a strike rate of 46.00. “Yes, we miss Abbas as he did well in the last series against Australia. It is the team’s decision to drop Abbas and they decided that these three [Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Imran Khan] are playing,” Yasir was quoted as saying.

The next Test match between the two sides will be played in Adelaide from November 29 and it will be a day-night encounter with a pink-ball.

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