London: 15 November 2022: Pakistan was unlucky to lose an important toss on a two-paced wicket with a slow outfield. But you can only make the most of what you get which is where they failed. The time has come to separate the opening pair which is costing the team dearly. Haris is the only X-factor at the top of the order but he also needs power play time to make optimum use. He couldn't get going today because he had too much to do and no idea how the long shots into the night still fall short at the MCG. Shan tried to make something of a match but that timid and tentative approach of Iftikhar Ahmed blocking the first few deliveries after Babar got out pretty much summed up the inadequacies of the team which is crying out for some plain common sense in embracing a fearless approach as opposed to the current conservative one. In this crash bang format of cricket, every over counts and why one highlights Iftikhar's mindset, for example, is because he killed the momentum that an unfancied Shan generated by putting Livingstone to the sword in the previous over and giving Pakistan the edge. It impacted the rest of the innings so negatively that it never really took off except for the aborted attempt by Shadab to lift the mood. Ultimately, though it was always going to be about mental strength in a high-octane final, and without an early bird, Pakistan was always going to struggle