The imitation game has entered cricket: the sport’s most exciting new trend is slowly spreading its wings to other teams. Is Pakball already a thing? Maybe.

Since the start of 2020, Pakistan have scored at three runs per over in Tests. It is the third-lowest after West Indies and Zimbabwe among all Test-playing nations.

At stumps on day one against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Pakistan’s first innings score read 145-2 in 28.3 overs. That’s a run-rate of 5.09 – and that is after they slowed down. At the 11th-over mark, the same figure had read 6.90.

For the uninitiated, Pakistan seem to be, unofficially and discreetly, testing out a version of Bazball on Sri Lankan soil, and it has turned out fine so far. It secured them a win in Galle, their first in exactly a year, and it came on the back of a refreshed, positive mode of batting.

Pakistan were 278-6 in 56 overs – a run rate of 4.96 – in their first innings of the Galle Test match, at the point Saud Shakeel and Salman Agha’s 177-run partnership ended. After Agha fell, Shakeel – 100 off 129 balls at that point – had to shepherd the tail: he finished on 208 in 361 balls.

Pakistan’s final run rate was 3.79, but something seemed to have begun. Not for nothing would Shan Masood score a 30-ball 39. A week before that, in the practice game against Sri Lanka A, he had hit 83 off 66.

In Colombo, the same template was tested again. After bundling out Sri Lanka for 166, Pakistan raced, and raced hard. Masood departed after a 47-ball 51, Shafique reached his fifty off 49 balls. The team 100 came in 16.4 overs, or 100 balls.

Then again, Babar Azam came in and took his time, easing to a 21-ball eight by stumps. There is a bit of madness, but there is no method at this point. There seems to be a temptation, but nothing more.

Maybe, there’s an inside story to it. According to statistician Mazher Arshad, it’s part of a team strategy to not let the run rate drop.

People have taken notice, and Pakball is slowly becoming a thing, at least on social media. Others are calling it “The Pakistan Way”.

Whatever it might be, it sure is entertaining so far.

 

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PakistanSri Lanka Series Editorial