Pakistan suffered a 79-run defeat in their second Test match against Australia which also resulted in a series loss on Friday, December 29. Shan Masood-led Pakistan stumbled to just 237 runs while chasing a 317-run target on Day 4 at Melbourne Cricket Ground as their wait for the first Test win in Australia since 1996 continues.
After an embarrassing 260-run defeat in Perth, Pakistan produced an improved performance in the second match but Pat Cummins' Australia managed to claim a win in the Boxing Day clash. Pakistan kept the game balanced with Masood and Agha Salman scoring fifties while chasing the manageable target at MCG.
Pakistan slightly emerged favourites when they needed only 98 runs to win the match with five wickets in hand. But the fans witnessed a disappointing collapse from 219/5 to all-out on 237 with Cummins and Mitchell Starc running riot.
After the game, Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez hailed Pakistan's improved performance and added that they played better cricket than the hosts at MCG.
"We played better cricket as a team," Hafeez told reporters after the defeat. "I'm proud of that. The way the team had the courage to attack this game in the best possible way. If I sum up the game, the Pakistan team played better than the other team in general. Our batting intent was better, and while bowling, we were hitting the right areas. Yes, we made some mistakes that cost us the game but as a team I believe that there were a lot of positives, enough to win the game but unfortunately at the end we didn't win the game."
Meanwhile, a big controversy emerged when third umpire Richard Illingworth ruled out on-field umpire Michael Gough's decision to dismiss Mohammad Rizwan. Pakistani wicketkeeper batter suffered a caught and behind dismissal with Cummins' delivery whiskering the batter's gloves and forearm.
Gough gave not-out but the DRS showed contact so Illingworth ruled the decision out. Rizwan protested as he believed that the ball didn't make contact with the gloves' bands. Hafeez criticised the umpire's controversial decision and added that 'inconsistent umpiring and technology curse' cost Pakistan the match.
"We made some mistakes as a team, we will take that, we will address those things, but at the same time I believe inconsistent umpiring and technology curse [has] really given us the result which should have been different, Sometimes the technology brings some decisions which obviously, as a human we don't understand. The ball hitting the stump is always out. Why is it umpire's call? I never understand that. So I think there are a lot of areas that need to be addressed for the betterment of cricket in general. I think technology is something that is taking away from the instinct of the game," Hafeez added.
