Pakistan made a historic decision during the ongoing third Test match by not using any fast bowlers in the first innings. This is a big change for a team that has traditionally relied on fast bowlers to lead their attack. While this strategy has been used occasionally in the past, it’s still a notable shift, especially considering Pakistan’s history of strong pace bowling.
The decision to rely entirely on spin bowling seems to follow the success of their “spin to win” approach in the previous Test. Pakistan’s team management likely saw the impact of spin and decided to double down on it in this match.
Interestingly, Pakistan did not change their lineup from the second Test. They still had Aamer Jamal, the only fast bowler, in the squad. However, instead of using him, the team decided to focus entirely on their spinners. Sajid Khan and Noman Ali handled most of the spin bowling, while Zahid Mehmood took charge of many of the remaining overs. Salman Ali Agha also contributed, but only with one over of off-spin. This move by Pakistan signals a bold new strategy that could influence their future Test matches, particularly on spin-friendly pitches.