Pakistan national cricket team legends Javed Miandad and Inzamam-ul-Haq launched vicious attacks on Babar Azam, Shan Masood and other players after the team’s embarrassing home Test series defeat against Bangladesh national cricket team.
The Shan Masood-led side suffered a 10-wicket defeat against the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side in the first Test before suffering a 6-wicket defeat in the second game at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. This was the first time Pakistan had lost a Test series against Bangladesh.
Moreover, this was only the second time that the Pakistan National Cricket Team faced a whitewash on home soil in the history of Test cricket and they have looked extremely terrible in their last four Test series at home.
The shock home series defeat has raised several questions about the future of Pakistan’s national cricket team, with new Test head coach Jason Gillespie under extreme pressure. Moreover, poor performances by Shan Masood and Co. have led to the players receiving harsh criticism from former players, pundits and fans.
Legendary Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad was one of them and he was left heartbroken after the team’s loss in the home Test series. Javed Miandad criticised the batsmen for their poor performance.
“It is painful that our cricket has reached this stage. Bangladesh deserves credit for their disciplined performances. But the way our batting has collapsed in this series is a bad sign,” legendary cricketer Javed Miandad was quoted as saying by PTI.
I wouldn’t just blame the players – Javed Miandad
However, Javed Miandad did not place all the blame on the players and held the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) responsible for the team’s downfall.
“I wouldn’t blame the players alone because everything that has happened in the (PCB) board in the last one and a half years and the changes in captaincy and management have affected the team,” added Javed Miandad.
Meanwhile, Pakistan great Inzamam-ul-Haq said back-to-back home series defeats are worrying for Pakistan and the batsmen need to step up and deliver good performances.
“Home series have always been considered our best chance to beat top teams in the past. But for that to happen, the batsmen need to get runs,” he said.
Younis Khan, the only Pakistan batsman to cross the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket, also blamed the batsmen for the loss against the Bangla Tigers and opined that they need mental strength to overcome poor form.
“Our batsmen have scored runs in the past, but right now, I think they need mental strength and a clear mind to overcome this crisis,” he said.
Former spinner Iqbal Qasim took a different approach and lashed out at Pakistan’s bowlers. He claimed that Pakistan’s current crop of bowlers do not have the quality that Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis had. Therefore, Pakistan needs to develop match-winning bowlers to win Tests at home.
“We don’t have bowlers of the calibre of Sarfaraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar or Shoaib at the moment. So, we should rely on our bowlers to win us tests at home.”
