Into the abyss

THE Pakistan cricket team continues to set unwanted records. On Friday, Shan Masood’s men became the first team in the history of Test cricket to lose by an innings, despite scoring over 500 in the first innings. England’s victory is the sixth defeat in a row for Pakistan. This losing streak includes the recent whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh; a season that started with much hope is quickly turning into a nightmare, both for the players and the Pakistan Cricket Board. Pakistan are now without a home victory in 11 Tests since their last win in 2021 against South Africa, and the team’s failure to capitalise on the home advantage against Bangladesh and England is alarming. The quality of the pitches is also in question with a flat track laid in Rawalpindi where both sides made hay in their first innings before Pakistan wilted in their second after England posted a mammoth 823-7 in reply to the hosts’ 556. Pakistan could only manage 220 in their second innings, reduced to 82-6 at one point. A second-innings collapse has been a recurring theme for Pakistan, and despite much talk recently about improving mental and physical fitness to avoid meltdowns, it seems little has been accomplished. For Shan, it is now six losses in a row since he became captain. For Jason Gillespie, it is the third straight loss since becoming Pakistan’s head coach. Clearly, something is not working even though Gillespie pleaded for patience after the loss to England in the series opener.
Pakistan needs to end the rot soon. The struggles of the Test side mirror those of the limited-overs side and lead to further questions about the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB. The calls for Mr Naqvi to step down will amplify, especially given the PCB chief’s position as interior minister. It is evident that Mr Naqvi’s proposed ‘surgery’ will not work. Pakistan cricket needs a complete overhaul.
Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2024