On August 25, Pakistan suffered their maiden Test defeat against Bangladesh. Pakistan suffered a batting collapse on Day 5 and were bowled out for 146 as Bangladesh registered a 10-wicket win at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. After hosts' humiliating loss out-of-favour Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad said that this is a new low for the team.
"The state of Pakistan cricket is such that today (Sunday) Bangladesh has defeated Pakistan for the first time in Test cricket and that too on their (Pakistan's) home soil. I have never seen Pakistan cricket sink to such a low in my life. Leave aside batting, bowling and fielding, this is a new low in Pakistan cricket," Shehzad said in a video posted on X.
Shehzad blames board, not players
Shehzad believes that Pakistan are likely to go down hockey team's path. They have been beaten by Afghanistan in ODI World Cup 2023. Then, they lost to USA in T20 World Cup 2024 and followed it up with a 10-wicket loss on Bangladesh in Tests on home soil. However, Shehzad does not blame players for the defeat but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
"I had said this before as well, Pakistan team is already heading towards darkness, so you cannot take short-term decisions. The situation is just like hockey. Even so, we never expected that Pakistan will lose to Bangladesh, but they have done that as well. Pakistan's players are not at fault. The cricket board is responsible.
"Players never force anyone to put them in the team. It's the board that keeps playing them and is not allowing domestic players to come in. If you don't have domestic players who can replace the existing lot, then what have you done so far?," questioned the 32-year-old who played his last Test in 2017.
Changes expected for second Test
Pakistan need a win desperately in the next Test at the same venue starting August 30 to remain alive in the race to qualify for World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 alive. A few changes in the side are expected, especially in the bowling department as Pakistan opted for four seamers and released Abrar Ahmed to play for Pakistan Shaheens.
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