Victory turns its back on sloppy Pakistan
Cricket
Who will take responsibility for this historic defeat?
By Anees-ur-Rehman
Pakistan’s humiliating defeat at the hands of Bangladesh has not only exposed the shortcomings of players but also a lack of acumen of the team management.
The shocking loss in the home series against Bangladesh, who were considered the proverbial cricketing minnow until recent past, raises serious questions about the talent and skills of even crowned players such as Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi.
The questions that nag are who will take responsibility for this historic defeat and will it lead to any action from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)?
Only time will tell.
The situation only worsened in this series as the deterioration started after Pakistan lost the T20 World Cup final to England in 2022.
At the Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, Pakistan lost five of their nine matches and exited the tournament in the group stage.
Additionally, Pakistan failed to advance past the first round of the T20 World Cup 2024, where they infamously lost to cricket newcomers - the United States who progressed to the next round.
In the lead-up to the tournament, Pakistan suffered a T20 loss to Ireland for the first time.
Of their last five Test series, Pakistan have won only one - an away series against Sri Lanka in July 2023.
Bangladesh make history
Bangladesh played a brilliant blend of cautious and aggressive cricket, securing a 10-wicket victory after facing Pakistan’s 448-6 declared. At one stage they were 26-6 in the first innings but staged a remarkable comeback and registered an emphatic victory which is nothing short of a miracle.
They rewrote the history books by securing their first-ever clean sweep against Pakistan and their third series victory away from home. Their previous overseas triumphs were a 2-0 win in the West Indies in 2009 and a one-off Test victory in Zimbabwe in 2021.
Pakistan’s winless streak continues
Pakistan have been clean-swept in a home Test series for only the second time in their history, with the previous defeat coming against England in 2022.
The team has not won a Test match at home since February 2021 - a winless streak of 10 games, with their last victory coming against South Africa. This kind of slump had only occurred once before in Pakistan’s history, when they played 11 home Tests without a win between 1969 and 1975.
Shan Masood's unwanted record
Shan Masood has lost all five Test matches he has captained for Pakistan, marking the worst start for a Pakistan captain.
He joins seven other captains in history who lost their first five Tests. Among them, four were from Bangladesh - Khaled Mashud (12 losses), Khaled Mahmud (9), Mohammad Ashraful (8), and Naimur Rahman (5).
The other three were Zimbabwe's Graeme Cremer (6 losses), New Zealand's Ken Rutherford (5), and West Indies’ Kraigg Brathwaite (5).
World Test Championship points table
This historic win moves Bangladesh to fourth place on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table with a win percentage of 45.83, while Pakistan drop to eighth place with a 19.05 win percentage.
India currently lead the table with 68.52 percent, followed by Australia at 62.50 percent.
Poor bowling and game awareness
In the absence of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, who were dropped after their poor performance in the first Test, Pakistani bowlers Mir Hamza, Khurram Shehzad, Muhammad Ali, and Abrar Ahmed missed the golden opportunity to dismiss the visitors cheaply as Bangladesh struggled at 26-6 in the first innings.
They failed to exert pressure on the opponents, allowing Bangladesh to recover and score 262, thanks to a brilliant century by Litton Das who rescued his side with 138 runs and earned the man of the match award.
Disappointing batting display
The poor batting display by Captain Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique, and other batsmen not only put extra pressure on the bowlers but also resulted in the historic defeat.
Babar Azam’s poor run continues as he has failed to score even a half-century in his last 16 Test innings. Captain Shan Masood also got out a couple of times while chasing wide deliveries, further highlighting the team’s batting woes. Same is the case with other batsmen.
Lack of unity
The team’s lack of unity is evident as they appear to play as individuals rather than as a unit. Players are not enjoying cricket; instead, they are playing out of fear of replacement.
Moreover, the absence of a shrewd captain has also dealt a severe blow to Pakistan cricket. Leadership on the field is essential, especially in crucial moments, but Pakistan’s current captain Shan Masood has failed to inspire or make decisive decisions.
The alleged overbearing attitude of certain players has further damaged team spirit, leading to an environment where personal ego often overshadows team success.
Overrated players
Some players, hailed as stars, have been exposed as overrated, lacking the necessary skills to compete at the highest level.
Despite having talented pacers like Shaheen Afridi, who can be devastating on a given day, the bowling attack lacks the consistency and mental toughness once exhibited by legends like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
Many great players have faced tough times in their careers. Those who overcome them are the ones who go back to basics and work on their weaknesses.
Currently, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi are struggling with their form, but they seem to be ignoring their issues and continue playing without addressing their mistakes.
They need to spend time in first-class cricket to regain their form; otherwise, these poor performances will likely continue.
Lack of quality spinner
Since the absence of leg-spinner Yasir Shah, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has struggled to find new talent for the spin department. Despite trying various options, the results have been disappointing.
Spinner Abrar Ahmed is no longer a mystery for the visitors as he struggled to find his rhythm and took only one wicket across both innings. So far, he has taken 39 wickets in seven Test matches.
Earlier, the PCB tried off-spinner Sajid Khan who took 25 wickets in eight Tests, while experienced left-arm spinner Noman Ali claimed 47 wickets in 15 appearances.
The PCB should consider hiring former greats like Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, and Saeed Ajmal to help discover and develop a young, quality finger spinner who can fill this gap and represent the country for a long time.
Bangladeshi bowlers on top
Bangladeshi bowlers smartly exploited the conditions and read the pitch well, while the Pakistani bowling line-up and team management failed to assess both.
The Bangladeshi bowlers focused on a hard and good length, forcing the Pakistani batters to drive.
In Pakistan's first innings, Bangladeshi spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz took a five-wicket haul. In contrast, Pakistani spinners Abrar and Salman struggled in Bangladesh’s first innings.
Similarly, in Pakistan’s second innings, Bangladeshi fast bowlers were on fire, taking nine wickets and bowled the hosts out for 174 runs, while Pakistan’s pacers managed to take only two wickets in Bangladesh’s second innings.
Decline in fast bowlers’ pace
Pakistani bowlers failed to match their opponents as the visitors executed their plan masterfully. The average speed of Bangladesh's bowlers in the series was significantly higher than that of Pakistan's.
For instance, Nahid Rana dismissed Babar Azam with a delivery clocked at 146kph and later bowled at 149.4kph in the 25th over of the second innings. In contrast, Pakistani pacers were bowling around 130kph.
This decline in pace not only exposed the fitness issues of Pakistani fast bowlers but also highlighted their tactical shortcomings.
Loss of home advantage
Losing the series at home against Bangladesh is a significant blow for the Green Shirts. The team’s failure to judge the pitch conditions reflects a lack of game awareness and preparations.
On the other hand, the visitors exploited the conditions and handed Pakistan a historic defeat.
Administrative failures
At the administrative level, Pakistan cricket is said to be marred by ‘average leadership’.
The Pakistan Cricket Board is often led by individuals appointed on political grounds, lacking the expertise needed to guide the team effectively.
Each chairman introduced his own plan to 'improve cricket,' only to leave after causing further damage. The constant reshuffling of PCB chairmen has also contributed to pushing Pakistan cricket to new lows.
The saying "the fish rots from the head" aptly describes the current state of Pakistan cricket.
Who will take responsibility?
Speaking to reporters after the humiliating defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in the first Test, Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said, “I will fix the team before I leave.”
“The team’s condition has been the same for the last three years. I don’t have a magic wand to fix the issues,” he added.
The PCB chairman expressed hope that new players would emerge during the upcoming Champions Cup. “If domestic cricket improves, then surgery will happen.”
“We don’t have any software to know the whereabouts of the backup players,” the PCB chairman said.
Responding to a query, Naqvi said, “I cannot resign just because some people want me to.”
The way forward
Improving Pakistan cricket requires a complete overhaul, starting with leadership.
It is widely believed the PCB needs to be led by professionals with cricketing expertise rather than political appointees.
The team must adopt a new mindset, backed by strong leadership and a clear vision, to overcome the challenges ahead.
The decline in Pakistan cricket is not just a result of poor performances on the field but also due to flawed policies and lack of merit in players’ selection and management.
To fix these problems, Pakistan must embrace a culture of positive mindset, discipline, and accountability.
