Cricket

Pakistan's humiliating defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test has ignited a firestorm of criticism, prompting former cricketer Basit Ali to urge the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to emulate India's domestic system. Ali lamented the PCB's decision to host a One-Day tournament after the Bangladesh Tests, emphasizing the need for a stronger focus on red-ball cricket."Pakistan has copied systems from England, Australia, and New Zealand in the past, but right now, they should look at India and try to mimic their domestic system," Ali said. "India is right next to us, please copy their system too. You need intelligence in copying as well. Just copy what India is doing. The Duleep Trophy is about to begin. Is it a T20 or One-Day tournament? It is a four-day tournament. They are focused on making their base stronger, which is why they are so successful."In response to the criticism, the PCB has recalled Abrar Ahmed and Kamran Ghulam to the Test squad for the second Test against Bangladesh. Both players had been released from the squad for the first Test but have since impressed in a four-day match for Pakistan Shaheens against Bangladesh 'A'.Abrar, a leg-spinner, is expected to provide Pakistan with additional spin options, while Kamran, a middle-order batsman, brings depth and stability to the batting lineup. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan's spearhead fast bowler, has also rejoined the squad after being released at the conclusion of the first Test.The second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from August 30 to September 3. Pakistan will be desperate to level the series and avoid a humiliating defeat to their neighbors.

Pakistan's cricket team has come under intense scrutiny after suffering a humiliating 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test of their two-match series. This marks Pakistan's first-ever loss to Bangladesh in the longest format of the game.The defeat has reignited concerns about the team's performance, which has been plagued by poor decision-making and questionable team selection. Pakistan has undergone significant changes since their disappointing performances in the ODI and T20 World Cups, but these changes have yet to yield positive results.Former England captain Kevin Pietersen expressed shock at Pakistan's dismal display, questioning the current state of cricket in the country. He praised the high standard of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) but wondered what had gone wrong since then.Ahmad Shehzad, a former Pakistan star who was overlooked for the Test series, also criticized the team's performance, calling it an "all-time low." He blamed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the team's struggles, accusing them of favoring established players over domestic talent.Shehzad questioned the PCB's decision-making, arguing that they have failed to develop a strong domestic system that can produce players capable of replacing the current underperforming squad. He believes that the PCB's short-term decisions have contributed to the team's decline.Pakistan's batting, bowling, and fielding have all been criticized for their poor performance in the first Test. The team's inability to adapt to the conditions and execute their plans effectively has raised concerns about their preparation and tactical awareness.The defeat to Bangladesh has dealt a major blow to Pakistan's confidence and has put the team under immense pressure. They will need to regroup and find a way to bounce back in the second Test if they want to avoid a series defeat and further damage to their reputation.

Pakistan's former captain, Rashid Latif, has expressed concern over the decline in the country's fast-bowling stocks. He lamented that pacers who once started at 145kmph have now slowed down to 130kmph.Latif's comments came after Pakistan's humiliating ten-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test at Rawalpindi. The hosts opted for an all-pace attack but failed to contain the visitors on a docile pitch. Bangladesh amassed 565 runs, while Pakistan declared at 448/6.In the second innings, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan shared seven wickets to dismiss Pakistan for a mere 146. Bangladesh chased down the target of 30 runs in just 6.3 overs, securing their first-ever Test win over Pakistan.Latif attributed the defeat to the lack of pace in Pakistan's bowling attack. "Our top fast bowlers no longer bowl at breakneck pace," he said. "Shaheen (Afridi), Naseem (Shah), and Khurram (Shahzad) started off with pace of 145. They all have come down to 130."He also criticized the Pakistan support staff for failing to keep the pacers in prime shape. "Our trainers and physios are to blame," he said. "Look at Jofra Archer, Jasprit Bumrah, and Pat Cummins. They all came back from injuries without losing any pace."Latif further pointed out that Bangladesh's spinners played a crucial role in their victory. "We no longer have quality spinners like we used to," he said. "Instead, we relied on pace, but the tactics backfired."He also criticized Pakistan's decision to declare too early in their first innings. "They should have aimed for 550," he said. "Falling 100 runs short ultimately made the difference."Latif concluded by praising Bangladesh for their tactical acumen. "They read the conditions well and outplayed Pakistan," he said. "They wore down the Pakistani bowlers and then capitalized."

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has expressed his disappointment over the team's humiliating 10-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in the Rawalpindi Test. This was the first time Pakistan had lost to Bangladesh in the longest format of the game, sending shockwaves through the nation.Naqvi attributed the loss to multiple factors, including skipper Shan Masood's captaincy, team selection, the performances of top batters like Babar Azam, and the inability of pacers like Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah to deliver with the ball.Former Pakistan cricketers have also criticized the selectors for not picking talented players from the domestic pool. However, Naqvi believes that there aren't many quality players in Pakistan's domestic pool to choose from."It was a very disappointing loss," Naqvi said. "The problem is the selection committee has no pool to turn to."Naqvi had promised a "surgery" after Pakistan's early elimination from the T20 World Cup 2024, but the same problems resurfaced in the first Test against Bangladesh. While the PCB chief remains keen to find a solution, he admitted that there aren't many quality players to choose from."We want to fix our problems," Naqvi said, "but when we look at how to resolve them, we don't have any solid data or (elite) players pool which we can draw from."After the first match, Pakistan captain Shan Masood accepted that mistakes were made by him and the team."Never to make an excuse, it (the pitch) didn't play the way we thought it would. Also the weather had been around in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, it rained around 8-9 days before the first day of play. Firstly looking at the pitch, we expected it to do a bit more. With three pace bowlers, they were gonna be pushed to the limit. At the end of the day, we got it wrong," he said.

Pakistan cricket has hit a new low after suffering a historic 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the Rawalpindi Test, marking the visitors' first-ever Test win on Pakistani soil. The humiliating loss has sparked outrage and criticism from former cricketer Ahmed Shehzad, who has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its flawed strategy and selection policies.Shehzad, in a video posted on social media, expressed his frustration and disappointment over Pakistan's dismal performance. He described the defeat as a "new low" for the team, highlighting the poor batting, bowling, and fielding that contributed to the embarrassing loss.The former opener also criticized the PCB for making short-term decisions that have led to a decline in the team's performance, similar to the downfall of Pakistani hockey. He argued that the board's failure to nurture domestic talent and its reliance on underperforming players have contributed to the team's struggles."Pakistan will find it extremely difficult to recover from this defeat, just as they have failed to recover from their loss to Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup," Shehzad said. "The PCB has made short-term decisions that have pushed the team towards a decline reminiscent of the fall of Pakistani hockey."Despite the poor performance, Shehzad did not blame the players but instead targeted the PCB for its lack of vision and poor selection policies. He argued that the board's failure to provide opportunities to domestic players has left the team without adequate replacements for underperforming players."The players are not at fault here," Shehzad said. "The fault lies with the Pakistan Cricket Board. The players are not forcing their way into the team. It is the board that continues to select them and ignores domestic players. The board itself admits that there is no talent in domestic cricket. But if you don't have players in domestic cricket who can replace these players, then what have you achieved?"The Rawalpindi loss has prompted calls for introspection and changes within the PCB. The cricketing community is grappling with the implications of this historic defeat and demanding accountability from the board.

Sri Lanka's fast bowling woes continue as Kasun Rajitha has been ruled out of the second Test against Bangladesh due to a back injury. Asitha Fernando will replace Rajitha in the squad, who had also been sidelined with a hamstring injury but has recovered ahead of schedule.Rajitha sustained the injury during the first Test in Sylhet, where he played through the pain and claimed eight wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings. However, the injury has forced him to return home for rehabilitation."Kasun Rajitha will not be available for the second test match as the player has suffered an injury to his left upper back area," stated an SLC media release. "Kasun will return home to start rehabilitation work."Fernando, who has 41 wickets in 13 Tests, has a strong record against Bangladesh, having taken 13 wickets in two Tests at an average of 16.61. His inclusion will provide Sri Lanka with a much-needed boost in the absence of Rajitha.Rajitha's injury is the latest in a string of setbacks for Sri Lanka's fast bowling unit. Dilshan Madushanka was recently ruled out of the IPL with a hamstring injury, while Matheesha Pathirana missed Chennai Super Kings' opening game with a similar issue. Dushmantha Chameera is also a long-term absentee after injuring his left quadricep earlier this year.Sri Lanka will be hoping that Fernando can step up and fill the void left by Rajitha in the second Test, which begins on March 30 in Chattogram.