Pakistan endured a crushing 360-run defeat at the hands of Australia in Perth.
Chasing the mammoth target of 450 runs, Pakistan’s second innings folded for a paltry 89. The batting collapse was shocking, with all 10 batters getting out in 30.2 overs during the second and third sessions of the fourth day's play.
Despite the crushing loss, Pakistan head coach Mohammad Hafeez expects his team to bounce back in the ongoing three-match Test series Down Under.
Addressing the media after the game, Hafeez said that Shan Masood and his men failed to execute the plans they formulated coming into the Perth Test.
"I've seen during our preparation the amount of talent these guys have. There's no doubt that they can beat Australia here in Australia. But obviously, we couldn't do that execution-wise. The plan was there and we prepared accordingly. I still believe that as a team, Pakistan can beat Australia here in Australia, but we must execute our skills when required," Hafeez was quoted as saying in the post-match presser.
"We couldn't execute our skills. We made plans for the team, but unfortunately, as a team, we couldn't execute our plans. Obviously, the guys wanted to, but they never applied themselves, to be honest. As a team, we made a couple of tactical errors. There were certain situations where we could have dominated. We were prepared, but our execution wasn't great," he added.
Over the years, Pakistan have struggled badly on the tour of Australia. In fact, they have been whitewashed in each of their five previous Test series on Australian soil. So, it goes without saying that Masood and company have a task on their hands to make a comeback.
The second Test between Pakistan and Australia will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting December 26.
(India Today Inputs)