TWO numbers came up after Pakistan`s loss to Australia in the third and final Test of the series in Sydney that made grim reading for the men in green: seven and 17. Australia have registered seven clean sweeps over Pakistan in Test series of three or more matches. It`s the most times a team has been clean-swept by an opponent in Test cricket. The defeat in Sydney extended Pakistan`s losing streak in Australia to 17 Tests. That`s the longest losing run for any team in a country. The next on the list are the West Indies, who lost nine consecutive Tests away to Australia. Those numbers lay bare the struggles of a side that last won in Australia back in 1995, the current lot led by Shan Masood having been labelled the `worst Asian team` to have toured the country by Australian cricket great Adam Gilchrist.
It all could`ve been so different though. Outclassed and outplayed in the opening Test in Perth, Pakistan came close in Melbourne. Had they shown some batting resolve, the fourth innings chase of 317 could`ve been achieved. Instead, they went down by 79 runs to lose the series. They raised hopes that they might at least be able to end their woeful run in Australia when they took a first-innings lead in Sydney. But then crashed badly in their second innings, the mental fortitude deserting them, yet again, when they needed it the most. Pakistan can point to the fact that they had their share of injuries during the tour; mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed sitting out all three Tests after being injured in a practice game and pacer Khurram Shehzad picking up an injury in the first Test and subsequently being ruled out for the rest of the series. But all-rounder Aamer Jamal proved to be a revelation during the series; impressing with both bat and ball. On his performances, he should be a certainty when Pakistan next play Test cricket. For Shan, the newly installed skipper of the Test side, the results might not have come but he showed glimpses of how he wants his side to play the game.
