Pakistan's capitulation not due to mindless batting
Pakistan's capitulation against South Africa , when they were bowled out for 49, their lowest total in Tests, can't be seen as a case of self-destruction similar to their low totals of 53 and 59 in Sharjah against Australia ten years ago, says Osman Sa
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
Pakistan's capitulation against South Africa, when they were bowled out for 49, their lowest total in Tests, can't be seen as a case of self-destruction similar to their low totals of 53 and 59 in Sharjah against Australia ten years ago, says Osman Samiuddin in The National. South Africa's bowling attack, he judges, is among the best in the modern times.
Sure some might look at a couple of dismissals and fall back on the old Pakistan cannot play swing trope. But that would be churlish, as well as playing down the genius that went into causing those downfalls. No, Saturday was not about the batting. It was about South Africa's pace attack, because more than anything 49 all out represented a kind of apotheosis.
The true strength of this quartet is to be judged by its weakest link and if Jacques Kallis is the weakest link, then you get an idea of just how strong it is. Kallis bowled arguably the ball of the innings in dismissing Azhar and he got rid of Misbah as well.