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"Can't play spin": Shoaib, Misbah slam PAK's fragile middle-order after SL win

Soumyajit Dutta

Shoaib Akhtar, Salman Agha and Misbah-Ul-Haq [Source: @amir_qureshi/X.com]Shoaib Akhtar, Salman Agha and Misbah-Ul-Haq [Source: @amir_qureshi/X.com]

Despite a crucial win against Sri Lanka that kept their Asia Cup hopes alive, Pakistan’s team chemistry came under sharp scrutiny from former stars Shoaib Akhtar and Misbah-ul-Haq. The victory did little to mask the persistent vulnerabilities in the batting lineup, particularly in the middle order. 

Both legends expressed serious concerns that these flaws could prove fatal against tougher opposition, turning the win into a warning sign rather than a celebration.

Akhtar questions team balance despite win

The duo pinpointed the team’s inability to handle spin bowling and a lack of role-specific players as critical issues. They argued that the team was saved by a lower-order partnership, which papered over the cracks of another top-order collapse.

Shoaib Akhtar praised individual performances while speaking on a local Pakistan sports platform, but was blunt in his assessment of the team's fundamental structure, believing the selection remains flawed.

“Hats off to him, good job, well done. He proved his selection right. But in what kind of circumstances did you play at a run-a-ball? Whenever pressure came, Nawaz eased it for you, that’s the reality. You took two wickets, scored some runs, so eventually you got the Man of the Match. Nothing against him, nothing to take away from him. But again, Pakistan’s selection, even after winning this match, is not right. Even if you go on to win the whole tournament, you don’t have proper role-specific players,” Akhtar remarked.

Akhtar slams middle-order's fragility

The Rawalpindi Express delivered a stern analysis of the batting technical deficiencies, highlighting a recurring weakness against spin.

“There’s still room for error. Your middle order cannot play spin. Salman Ali Agha can’t build an innings. Haris, again, when the ball comes close to the body, he manages, but against the ball coming in, he gets stuck; if it’s away, he chases it. He’s a good talent and an impact player, but only if he understands when to hit, when not to hit, and how to rotate strike, mixing boundaries with singles according to the pitch. He has intent, but playing irrational shots makes him look bad. The problem is there in the middle order, which cannot play spin,” Akhtar added.

Misbah acknowledges narrow escape

Misbah-ul-Haq concurred with Akhtar's concerns, admitting that the match was on a knife's edge before the partnership between Mohammad Nawaz and Hussain Talat stabilized the innings.

“When the game came down to Nawaz and Hussain Talat, it had become very tough, like in any match. In this kind of situation, even if the run rate is just six an over, you know that if one more wicket falls, the match can slip away from you. And then the pressure increases, especially on a player whose selection itself is being questioned. Nawaz isn’t even bowling right now, but I think it was a very good innings under pressure,” Misbah said.

The former captain warned that relying on the lower order is not a sustainable strategy, urging the top order to take more responsibility, especially in small chases.

“Akhtar was right when he said that in another game, if you’re chasing 170-180, it’s a different scenario. But whatever the case, in this situation at least they delivered; otherwise, this match could have turned into the worst scenario if Hussain Talat hadn’t played sensibly, and if Nawaz hadn’t batted brilliantly to ease the pressure. In that sense, a win is a win,” Misbah added.

As of the match, Sri Lanka managed just 133 runs with Kamindu Mendis scoring 50, as Pakistan bowlers, led by Shaheen Afridi’s three wickets, kept them in check. In reply, Pakistan stumbled early, losing top-order wickets, but a crucial lower-middle-order 58-run stand between Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz guided them to a five-wicket victory.