‘Lot of quality in Pakistan’ – Michael Smith backs young crop despite batting woes

“Lot of quality in Pakistan” – Michael Smith backs young crop despite batting woes

Pakistan’s tour of England has been difficult, with the side yet to post a 200‑run total in five innings. They are currently 52/2 and need 268 more runs to set England a target in the final Test at Edgbaston.

Coach’s view

Batting coach Michael Smith said the mood in the camp remains “good” and emphasized the talent emerging from Pakistan:

“There’s a lot of quality in Pakistan. We’ve seen it for many years. We have younger players alongside experienced ones, and it’s about getting them comfortable in the Test environment for the long term.”

He declined to comment on recent off‑field issues, including the PCB’s recall of seven players and the inquiry into player conduct.

Transition phase

Smith described the batting line‑up as being in a “transition phase”:

• Only Babar Azam and Shan Masood have toured England before.
• The team needs players who can bat for extended periods, not just short sessions.
• He highlighted occasional positive signs from Saud Shakeel, Azan Awais, and Shan Masood, but stressed the need for consistency.

“We’ve shown some good signs, but not for long enough. We need our guys to play for hours and build confidence.”

Outlook

Despite the challenges, Smith believes the squad is enjoying the tour and learning valuable lessons:

• The English bowling attack is strong, making success harder.
• Future UK tours will provide a better platform to assess the younger players.
• Smith sees his role as “a bloody exciting challenge” given the high potential of the Pakistani batsmen.

“Let’s not worry about what’s happening here; we have some serious, exciting players. The key is how quickly we can get them to that level, especially outside Pakistan.”

Immediate task

Pakistan’s next priority is to force a fourth‑innings chase, which will require breaching the 200‑run mark for the first time in this series.