Mohammed Hafeez says ‘Pakistan played better cricket than Australia’ despite losing in the second Test at MCG

Australia defeated Pakistan by 79 runs to take an unassailable 2–0 lead in the three-match Test series.

Action during the second Test between Australia and Pakistan at the MCG. (Image: circuit board)

Melbourne: Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez claimed his team played better cricket than Australia despite losing the second Test by 79 runs at the MCG. With this loss, Pakistan trailed 0-2 in the three-match series and the final match started on January 3. Australian captain Pat Cummins took five wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 237 runs in their second innings while chasing 316 to win.

Pakistan could have won the match when Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha almost took the match out of Australian hands, but Cummins ended the 67-run partnership in bizarre and dramatic fashion just 15 minutes before the scheduled end of the match.

“We played better cricket as a team. I’m proud of that. The way the team had the courage to attack this match in the best possible way. Our batting intent was better and while bowling we were hitting the right areas,” Hafeez told ESPNCricinfo.

“We made some mistakes that cost us the match, but as a team I believe there were a lot of positives, enough to win the match, but unfortunately we didn’t win the match in the end,” the former Pakistan captain added to.

Pakistan was guilty of dropping few catches. With Australia at 46/4 in the second innings, Abdullah Shafique dropped Mitchell Marsh when he was on 20. The right-hander went on to score 96 and forge a 153-run stand with Steve Smith for the fifth wicket.

Hafeez defended Shafique. “As a team you always support your teammates when something goes wrong with them. But we took this decision because we thought if he is not comfortable (at slips), Babar (Azam) is a better slip fielder, so why not make the change?

“He (Babar) has to take charge and get to first slip. I think that also worked out very well for me as a director, because I saw that the right person was doing that job. Obviously, Abdullah is also a good fielder, but he was not confident in the slips,” said the former all-rounder.

However, Australian captain Pat Cummins, who was also the Player of the Match, did not agree with Hafeez’s view of being the better team in the match. “Cool! Yeah, they played well, but I’m glad we won. It doesn’t really matter, right? (if Pakistan were the better team). It matters who wins in the end,” Cummins said.