England gave them a chance to save the Test match but Pakistan did not take it: Shoaib Akhtar

Pace icon Shoaib Akhtar said that Pakistan prepared the wicket only to settle for a draw and did not show any intent of winning the game. His remarks came after the hosts’ awkward batting collapse on the fifth day of the first Test match against England at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

At the same time Akhtar also credited the opposition saying that the Three Lions’ approach in this format is really commendable as their red-ball coach Brendon McCullum has already made it crystal clear that England are not going for draws.

There’s a difference in mindset: Shoaib Akhtar

"Pakistan did not even take the chance which were availed to them. England gave them a chance to save the Test match but Pakistan did not take it. There’s a difference in mindset. The situation where England declared yesterday, would Pakistan have done the same? They wouldn’t have. Their coach McCullam said that they’ll play a run a ball in Test cricket," said Shoaib Akhtar while speaking on his YouTube channel.

"They won’t go for draws. Joe Root said they want to save Test Cricket. If you have this mindset and intent, what do you think will be the result? Even with 7 wickets in hand, Pakistan did not have the intent to win the match. They made the wicket in order to draw. If this is your intent, what do you think, we’ll be heading towards?,”he wondered.

Pakistan appeared to be in the driver’s seat to win the series opener as they only needed to score 263 runs on the final day with eight wickets left. Despite the early dismissal of a well-set Imam-ul-Haq (48), the hosts did not have much to worry about as they still had a good batting depth.

“It’s very disappointing. England made the effort to make this Test match interesting. They gave Pakistan a chance to avoid a draw. You (Pakistan) play well and win. 350 in this wicket is not a big deal. You have already scored 150. I did not see any intent or capability. No disrespect to the youngsters. Naseem Shah, you played well. But England deserve to win. No questions about it,” Akhtar further explained.

With 86 runs needed in the final session, it had to be Pakistan’s game from there on, but then veteran English pacer James Anderson bowled incredibly well and registered a four-wicket haul as the hosts suffered a dramatic batting collapse and were bundled out for 268. Thus, the visitors drew first blood in the three-match series with a well-deserved 74-run victory.