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Pakistan's Fate Turns Upside Down As 'Spin-To-Win' Tactic Haunts Them Like Boomerang

Bhargav Dixit

West Indian players celebrate Babar Azam's dismissal. [Source: @wiplayers/X]West Indian players celebrate Babar Azam's dismissal. [Source: @wiplayers/X]

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In the last week of January 2024, West Indies had defeated Australia in Brisbane after as many as 36 years. In the last week of January 2025, West Indies have defeated Pakistan in Multan for the first time. As far as winning a Test in Pakistan is concerned, they have been able to do so after 24 years.

This piece, however, is not about West Indies. It’s about Pakistan and their inability to back their perilous approach. Since turning to spin-to-win, Pakistan registered three successive victories against England and West Indies before losing to the latter within seven sessions.

Now, there are two ways to look at it. Either Pakistan can celebrate a score line of 3-1 since arguably bringing an end to fast bowling in the country or cerebrate not being able to win a home Test series against West Indies.

Frankly speaking, it is more a time for cerebrating taking into consideration how Pakistan have finished their Test season with a 3-4 score line. In the day and age of the ICC World Test Championship, no team with more home losses than wins can dream of playing the final. Additionally, there’s a reason why Pakistan will finish WTC 2023/25 at the bottom of the points table.

Will Shan Masood Be Sacked?

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood, who intends to remain unbeaten at home during ICC World Test Championship 2025/27, might think about a change of mind with respect to the pitches.

With Pakistan losing home Tests against Bangladesh, England and West Indies this season, not allowing the likes of South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka to win a single match is wishful thinking. Home teams curate pitches as per their strengths. Batting on dust boils isn’t Pakistan’s strength by quite a distance.

After defeating West Indies in the first Test, Masood hadn’t minced his words in a bid to justify their ploy of doctoring with the pitches to attain outright results in their favour. If truth be told, by the time Masood changes his mind (if he does), don’t rule out the possibility of him getting sacked.

With words like “guarantee” and “assurance” extinct from Pakistan cricket long ago, who knows what PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) comes up with before their next home Test match.

Is Doctoring Pitches To This Extent Justified?

Well, that is for match referees to decide.

Lately, Pakistan have defended their recent strategy citing SENA countries’ inclination towards grassy pitches to assist their fast bowlers. If one has to speak straight from the shoulder, there are two shortcomings to this outlook.

Just like Asian conditions are better-suited for spinners, conditions in the SENA countries are better-suited for pacers. It’s a harmonious relationship thriving since time immemorial. Notwithstanding spinners not having a role to play on the first two days of a Test being played on such a surface, overseas nations don’t ghost a particular skill by doing so.

What Pakistan are doing to gain WTC points will hamper the development of their pacers in more ways than one. Unlike spinners in SENA Tests, pacers will have pretty much nothing to do in Pakistan Tests.

If a pacer can’t bowl on the first day of a Test, you don’t wait for the surface to deteriorate to allow him to bowl on such pitches. Deterioration of a pitch creates natural room for helping a spinner. What Pakistan are doing right now is unnatural to the sport.