Pakistan captain Babar Azam has revealed that Shan Masood fractured his finger during the first Test against West Indies in Trinidad, an injury which affected the team’s batting plans in their 90-run defeat.Masood picked up the injury while batting in the first innings and was forced to bat at No. 8 in the second innings. Pakistan were bowled out for just 120 as they slumped to their eighth straight Test defeat, leaving them bottom of the ICC World Test Championship standings.“Yes, Shan Masood’s injury has affected us because unfortunately his finger is fractured, so we definitely missed him,” confirmed Babar.He added: “At the same time, when you face the new ball, you have to survive the first 20 overs, build partnerships, and then, as the ball gets older, the pitch becomes easier to hit. We can’t put those partnerships together.”
Babar streets bat collapse
Babar scored a struggling half-century but Pakistan’s batting training failed to support him as Jayden Seales claimed five wickets.“We played well cricket in the last few days but today we were not up to the mark as a batting unit,” said Babar.“The surface is good and we were waiting for the new ball to move for which we were prepared … but I think they bowled very well and they used the conditions nicely. We will sit together and discuss these things because, while the result is not our way, we can certainly face our mistakes. We will do our best to correct them and make sure that we improve going forward,” he added.
Greaves shine for West Indies
Justin Greaves was named Player of the Match after taking his maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings before adding two wickets in the second. He said: “We came and tried to be as disciplined as possible. Imicked longer fuller Mohammad Abbas when he bowled against us in the first and second innings and it is quite good for us.”The second test starts in Port of Spain on August 2nd.
