Babar Azam admits Pakistan wasted favourable conditions at Lord’s

LONDON: Pakistan captain Babar Azam has admitted that his side failed to make the most of favourable batting conditions as England secured a convincing 194-run victory in the second Test at Lord’s on Sunday.

The defeat leaves Pakistan under pressure in the three-match series after another disappointing batting display exposed familiar weaknesses in the team’s top and middle order.

Pakistan entered the final innings needing 389 runs for victory, but their chase quickly turned into another collapse. The visitors were dismissed for 194 in just 50.5 overs, handing England a commanding win.

Speaking after the match, Babar acknowledged that Pakistan’s batting fell well below the required standard in both innings.

“We tried to utilise the conditions. Then, the batting was not up to the mark,” Babar said during the post-match presentation.

The Pakistan skipper said the team had followed its plans and attempted to build partnerships, but the lack of substantial stands ultimately proved decisive.

“We just followed our plans and tried to build partnership, but unfortunately, we didn’t have partnerships,” he said.

While Pakistan struggled with the bat, Mohammad Abbas emerged as one of the few bright spots for the visitors. The experienced pacer produced an outstanding bowling performance, claiming five wickets at the historic Lord’s ground.

Babar described Abbas’ five-wicket haul as a memorable achievement and praised his contribution to Pakistan’s efforts.

“I think a Lord’s five-for is a memorable moment for Abbas,” he said.

The captain also singled out Saud Shakeel for his determined effort during Pakistan’s second-innings collapse. With wickets falling around him, Saud showed considerable resistance and came agonisingly close to a century.

The left-hander scored a fighting 97 off 122 balls, striking 13 fours and two sixes. His innings offered Pakistan supporters a brief hope of an unlikely fightback, but England’s bowlers eventually wrapped up the innings.

Babar conceded that Pakistan needed to improve in both departments despite the encouraging moments with the ball.

“To be honest, we’re trying to do our best with both batting and bowling,” he added.

The second Test defeat will raise questions about Pakistan’s batting approach as they prepare for the final match of the series. After struggling to convert favourable conditions into runs at Lord’s, Pakistan will need greater consistency, stronger partnerships and more composure at the crease if they are to finish the series on a positive note.

For now, Babar’s candid admission reflects the frustration inside the Pakistan camp: the opportunities were there, but Pakistan simply did not make enough of them.