T was a case of speaking to soon. With his side still 419 runs away from an improbable victory target of 508 in the second Test against Sri Lanka, Pakistan`s batting coach Mohammad Yousuf claimed his players were feeling no pressure. Yousuf was drawing on the fact that his side, riding on a sensational 160 not out by opener Abdullah Shafique, had chased a record target of 342 at the same Galle International Stadium in the first Test. The challenge facing Pakistan in the second Test, though, was monumental. The highest successful fourth innings chase in Test cricket is 418 by the West Indies against Australia in 2003. Pakistan needed to better that on the final day of the Test to win or bat out at least three sessions to draw the match and win the series. For all the talk of no pressure, once it came, Pakistan wilted. Skipper Babar Azam admitted af ter Sri Lanka`s series-levelling, 246-run victory that Pakistan batters fell to sof t dismissals. The loss means Pakistan have now failed to win their last two Test series, having lost to Australia earlier and slipped to fif th place in the World Test Championship standings.

Thankfully, the players aren`t yet out of the running for a toptwo finish in the race to play the World Test Championship final.

However, the team needs to improve for the home Test series against England and New Zealand later this year. There are some positive takeaways from the series, with Abdullah proving his world class talent and forming a strong opening pair with Imam-ul-Haq.

Babar, meanwhile, continues to pile on the runs while all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz came good in the first game. Teenager Naseem Shah was impressive, adding to Pakistan`s pace battery led by Shaheen Shah Afridi-who was sorely missed in the second Test.

However, Pakistan`s middle order showed fragility with Azhar Ali struggling in the first Test and Fawad Alam, his replacement in the second, failing to play an anchor role. The team management must work on addressing these shortcomings.