[ad_1]
The passionate cricket fans of Pakistan were left heartbroken after the team’s six-wicket defeat in the second Test held in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, resulting in Bangladesh’s 2-0 series sweep.This loss marked Pakistan’s 10th consecutive home Test without a victory, a stark contrast to their former dominance in the sport. The defeat followed their failure to progress beyond the group stage in both the 50-over and T20 World Cups over the past year, further compounding the team’s struggles.
“It’s a huge setback and our cricket is at a crossroads,” former Pakistan captain and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram told AFP. “For a former player and captain and a lover of the game, I was left embarrassed at the way they have lost from good positions. I simply don’t get it.
“We are losing consistently on home turf and that says a lot about the quality of our cricket,” added Akram, who played 104 Tests and 356 one-day internationals for Pakistan.
Pakistan’s cricket team has been facing a series of setbacks in recent times. The loss against Bangladesh is just the latest in a string of disappointing performances, following closely after their defeats to Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup and the USA in the T20 World Cup.
At home in the last three years, Pakistan have suffered six defeats and four draws in Test cricket. This includes a humbling 3-0 whitewash by England in 2022.
To make matters worse, Pakistan’s next visitors are the in-form England team, who are set to play three Tests starting from October 7 in Multan.
The team’s troubles extend beyond their home turf, as they have also struggled in away matches. During their recent tour of Australia earlier this year, Pakistan suffered a whitewash, losing all three Tests. This marked their sixth consecutive whitewash in Australia since 1999, highlighting their ongoing difficulties in adapting to foreign conditions.
“People have started to hate cricket,” former international player and regional coach Basit Ali told AFP. “Bangladesh has shown us the mirror of what we are at international level. It’s a cliche that wins and losses are part of the game, but this is a seismic shock.”
Ali, a former Pakistan cricketer with 19 Test matches and 50 ODIs under his belt, agreed with the widespread opinion shared by fans and pundits alike regarding the national team’s performance. He believes that the squad appears to be lacking cohesion and coordination.
“Pakistan did not play as a unit and players looked scattered,” he said. “It is sad and embarrassing to say that this is Pakistan’s team.”
The team was flayed in the country’s media coverage day after the defeat to Bangladesh.
“Pakistan team’s rapid downward spiral has been alarming, to say the least,” said the Express Tribune newspaper on Wednesday. The sequence of high-profile losses “makes the mind boggle”, it added.
Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, is the current chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“Since 1998, hand-picked favourites of the respective ruling regimes in the country have taken turns as PCB chairman to run the game in their own clueless manner, only to ruin it,” the Express Tribune said.
Pakistan have had five chairmen in the past three years, which many believe is one of the chief reasons behind poor and inconsistent administration in the sport.
“With the PCB’s top management changing with every change of guard at political level, there has been no consistent framework,” said the Dawn newspaper.
The PCB has experienced frequent changes in leadership, both on and off the field. Captains and coaches have been replaced regularly, contributing to a lack of stability within the team. Additionally, the domestic cricket structure has undergone numerous revisions and restructurings.
Following Pakistan’s disappointing departure from the T20 World Cup, PCB chairman Naqvi acknowledged the need for significant changes, stating that “surgery in the system” was necessary.
“We need to fix our problems,” he said last month. “But when we look at how to resolve them, we don’t have any solid data or player pool which we can draw from.”
Akram agreed.
“The quality of our cricket has gone down with no grassroots activity, so we do not have proper back-ups. We have a lot to work on,” Akram said. “As a cricket nation, we have to be patient, that’s the key. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix.”
[ad_2]
Source link
