I don't think Pakistan was interested in winning the Test series: Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar was extremely disappointed by Pakistan's performance in the third Test between Pakistan and England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

Akhtar recalled the first Test at Old Trafford in Manchester where Pakistan had England fighting for survival at 117-5. But they could not capitalize on the chances and England ended up winning that game by three wickets. He believes that Pakistan did not look interested in winning the series from that point and their challenge just tapered off after the first Test.

"I don't think Pakistan were really competitive at any point in the Test series. I was hopeful that Pakistan would go in with a very great attitude. The attitude was great in the first Test match but after that, our batsmen just gave up and really got shackled up and ended up losing that Test match. I don't think they were really interested in winning the Test series."

Shoaib Akhtar was particularly disappointed by the lack of aggression shown by the Pakistan pace bowlers. He pointed out the lack of willingness of the pacers to try out different things in order to pick up quick wickets.

England were 332-4 overnight and the only chance Pakistan had to bounce back into the game was by picking up quick wickets on Day 2 which did not happen.

Zak Crawley and Jos Buttler ended up adding 359 runs for the sixth wicket and Crawley went on to score his maiden Test double hundred while Buttler made a career-best 152. The former Pakistan fast bowler believes that Pakistan played like a club-level team as they let England score 593 runs from a position of crisis at 127-4.

"Pakistan looked like a club-level team, they just let England make a score in excess of 550. The Pakistan Cricket Board will have to make some serious decisions now on whether the team has to go forward with the same mindset. If you bring in the right people then the change in mindset is possible, otherwise it looks really difficult."

Pakistan will be up against it on Day 3 as they are reeling at 24-3 in reply to England's huge first innings score of 593-8, trailing by a massive 559 runs.