Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha admitted his team needs major improvements in batting, bowling and fielding after England secured a crushing innings-and-103-run victory in the first Test at Headingley on Friday.
The match ended inside three days, extending Pakistan’s difficult run in overseas Tests and giving England a commanding start to the series.
“England outplayed us in every department,” Salman said after the match. “We were not consistent enough in both batting and bowling.”
Pakistan had hoped English conditions would suit their bowling attack, but it was the hosts who made far better use of the movement available. Salman said the biggest concern for Pakistan’s bowlers was accuracy rather than pace.
“In this match, we saw that there was no accuracy in bowling,” he said, rejecting suggestions that a lack of speed was the fundamental problem with the attack.
Pakistan’s batting also struggled badly against England’s seamers. After being dismissed for just 113 in the first innings, the visitors were unable to recover as England built a dominant advantage before bowling Pakistan out again.
Salman said playing in England required prolonged concentration because the ball could move laterally throughout an innings.
“When you come to England, consistency is very important,” he said. “Here, while bowling, there is lateral movement, and it’s the same during batting. So you have to maintain consistency and focus at all times.”
Questions have also been raised over Pakistan’s preparation for the series, with Salman revealing that the squad had arrived in England only a week before the opening Test.