Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq were meant to be the next Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq after the legends decided to call it a day in 2017. The duo, however, hasn’t lived up to the expectations of Pakistani fans which is the reason why the team hasn’t performed that well in the longest format.
Azhar Ali’s batting average since the start of 2018 is a miserly 25.87 whereas Asad Shafiq has averaged 35.17 in the same period. These averages are below their overall career averages, which is indicative of the fact that the two haven’t been playing their best cricket in the past few years. Azhar averages 41.95 in 150 innings whereas Asad boasts an average of 38.61 from 126 innings.
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An interesting common feature between the two is their poor record in the first or a couple of opening matches of the series. They often tend to find form at the backend of the series, especially in the last Test of the series.
Let’s have a look at their numbers in the last matches of the series and compare it with the remaining matches:
Azhar Ali
The Pakistan captain has played 18 matches since the start of 2018 until the start of the third Pakistan-England Test. Pakistan’s first Test in 2018 was against Ireland in a one-match series in which Azhar scored 4 and 2.
| Runs | SR | Pos | Dismissal | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 17.39 | 1 | caught | 1 | v Ireland | Dublin | 11 May 2018 |
| 2 | 50.00 | 1 | caught | 4 | v Ireland | Dublin | 11 May 2018 |
| 50 | 36.76 | 1 | lbw | 2 | v England | Lord’s | 24 May 2018 |
| 4 | 40.00 | 1 | bowled | 4 | v England | Lord’s | 24 May 2018 |
| 2 | 6.89 | 1 | lbw | 1 | v England | Leeds | 1 Jun 2018 |
| 11 | 78.57 | 1 | bowled | 3 | v England | Leeds | 1 Jun 2018 |
| 18 | 22.50 | 3 | caught | 1 | v Australia | Dubai (DSC) | 7 Oct 2018 |
| 4 | 40.00 | 4 | lbw | 3 | v Australia | Dubai (DSC) | 7 Oct 2018 |
| 15 | 31.25 | 3 | caught | 1 | v Australia | Abu Dhabi | 16 Oct 2018 |
| 64 | 45.39 | 3 | run out | 3 | v Australia | Abu Dhabi | 16 Oct 2018 |
| 22 | 23.15 | 3 | caught | 2 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 16 Nov 2018 |
| 65 | 47.79 | 3 | lbw | 4 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 16 Nov 2018 |
| 81 | 43.31 | 3 | run out | 1 | v New Zealand | Dubai (DSC) | 24 Nov 2018 |
| 134 | 45.11 | 3 | caught | 2 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 3 Dec 2018 |
| 5 | 35.71 | 3 | caught | 4 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 3 Dec 2018 |
| 36 | 52.17 | 4 | caught | 1 | v South Africa | Centurion | 26 Dec 2018 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 4 | caught | 3 | v South Africa | Centurion | 26 Dec 2018 |
| 2 | 10.52 | 4 | caught | 1 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 3 Jan 2019 |
| 6 | 46.15 | 3 | lbw | 3 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 3 Jan 2019 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 3 | caught | 2 | v South Africa | Johannesburg | 11 Jan 2019 |
| 15 | 36.58 | 3 | caught | 4 | v South Africa | Johannesburg | 11 Jan 2019 |
| 39 | 37.50 | 2 | caught | 1 | v Australia | Brisbane | 21 Nov 2019 |
| 5 | 55.55 | 2 | lbw | 3 | v Australia | Brisbane | 21 Nov 2019 |
| 9 | 39.13 | 3 | caught | 2 | v Australia | Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
| 9 | 112.50 | 3 | caught | 3 | v Australia | Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
| 36 | 44.44 | 3 | caught | 2 | v Sri Lanka | Rawalpindi | 11 Dec 2019 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 3 | bowled | 1 | v Sri Lanka | Karachi | 19 Dec 2019 |
| 118 | 75.15 | 3 | stumped | 3 | v Sri Lanka | Karachi | 19 Dec 2019 |
| 34 | 57.62 | 3 | caught | 2 | v Bangladesh | Rawalpindi | 7 Feb 2020 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 3 | lbw | 1 | v England | Manchester | 5 Aug 2020 |
| 18 | 33.33 | 3 | lbw | 3 | v England | Manchester | 5 Aug 2020 |
| 20 | 23.52 | 3 | caught | 1 | v England | Southampton | 13 Aug 2020 |
Note:Â The runs in bold are in the last matches of the series.
In the series against Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka, Azhar Ali scored big runs in the last matches of the series. Against Australia, Azhar scored 64 in the last innings after having a poor series with the bat.
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He capped off a decent series against New Zealand with a 134 whereas he made 118 in the final innings of the 2-match series against Sri Lanka.
Asad Shafiq
Asad averages relatively better – 35.17 – during the same period and he’s played the same number of matches as captain Azhar Ali. Let’s have a look at innings by innings numbers:
| Runs | SR | Pos | Dismissal | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | 51.23 | 4 | caught | 1 | v Ireland | Dublin | 11 May 2018 |
| 1 | 20.00 | 4 | bowled | 4 | v Ireland | Dublin | 11 May 2018 |
| 59 | 59.00 | 4 | caught | 2 | v England | Lord’s | 24 May 2018 |
| DNB | – | – | – | 4 | v England | Lord’s | 24 May 2018 |
| 27 | 56.25 | 4 | caught | 1 | v England | Leeds | 1 Jun 2018 |
| 5 | 100.00 | 4 | caught | 3 | v England | Leeds | 1 Jun 2018 |
| 80 | 48.48 | 6 | caught | 1 | v Australia | Dubai (DSC) | 7 Oct 2018 |
| 41 | 73.21 | 6 | caught | 3 | v Australia | Dubai (DSC) | 7 Oct 2018 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 5 | caught | 1 | v Australia | Abu Dhabi | 16 Oct 2018 |
| 44 | 48.88 | 5 | caught | 3 | v Australia | Abu Dhabi | 16 Oct 2018 |
| 43 | 46.23 | 5 | bowled | 2 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 16 Nov 2018 |
| 45 | 55.55 | 5 | caught | 4 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 16 Nov 2018 |
| 12 | 33.33 | 5 | caught | 1 | v New Zealand | Dubai (DSC) | 24 Nov 2018 |
| 104 | 40.15 | 5 | lbw | 2 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 3 Dec 2018 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 5 | caught | 4 | v New Zealand | Abu Dhabi | 3 Dec 2018 |
| 7 | 58.33 | 5 | lbw | 1 | v South Africa | Centurion | 26 Dec 2018 |
| 6 | 30.00 | 5 | caught | 3 | v South Africa | Centurion | 26 Dec 2018 |
| 20 | 76.92 | 5 | caught | 1 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 3 Jan 2019 |
| 88 | 74.57 | 4 | caught | 3 | v South Africa | Cape Town | 3 Jan 2019 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 5 | caught | 2 | v South Africa | Johannesburg | 11 Jan 2019 |
| 65 | 91.54 | 4 | caught | 4 | v South Africa | Johannesburg | 11 Jan 2019 |
| 76 | 56.71 | 4 | bowled | 1 | v Australia | Brisbane | 21 Nov 2019 |
| 0 | 0.00 | 4 | caught | 3 | v Australia | Brisbane | 21 Nov 2019 |
| 9 | 64.28 | 5 | caught | 2 | v Australia | Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
| 57 | 50.89 | 5 | caught | 3 | v Australia | Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
| DNB | – | – | – | 2 | v Sri Lanka | Rawalpindi | 11 Dec 2019 |
| 63 | 50.00 | 5 | caught | 1 | v Sri Lanka | Karachi | 19 Dec 2019 |
| DNB | – | – | – | 3 | v Sri Lanka | Karachi | 19 Dec 2019 |
| 65 | 50.38 | 5 | caught | 2 | v Bangladesh | Rawalpindi | 7 Feb 2020 |
| 7 | 31.81 | 5 | caught | 1 | v England | Manchester | 5 Aug 2020 |
| 29 | 67.44 | 5 | run out | 3 | v England | Manchester | 5 Aug 2020 |
| 5 | 38.46 | 5 | caught | 1 | v England | Southampton | 13 Aug 2020 |
Like Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq does enough at the end of the series to retain his spot in the playing XI. He scored 62 against Ireland, 44 against Australia, 104 against New Zealand, 65 against South Africa, 57 against Australia in Australia, 63 against Sri Lanka and 65 against Bangladesh.
Stats via ESPNCricinfo
Do you think Azhar Ali and Asad should do more to justify their positions in the national team? Let us know in the comments section.
Their performance is not limited to last match of the series as per table you have provided. You have failed to buildup a case here Sajawal.