September 3, 2024, was a dense gloomy day in the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium as Pakistan suffered a historic defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in the second Test of their series. This defeat has sent shockwaves across the cricket fraternity and disheartens many, including former skipper Wasim Akram.
Wasim Akram’s Disappointment
Wasim Akram, one of the most popular cricketers to come out of Pakistan, did not mince words. He termed the defeat a huge setback for Pakistani cricket. Wasim Akram did not hold himself back; his candid remarks spoke volumes about the severity of the situation. “Our cricket is at a crossroads, he said, underscoring the urgent need for change and improvement.”
Coming into this series, Pakistan was ranked sixth in the world. The recent losses have now relegated them to eighth position, below the West Indies. This team with just 76 rating points now is in a whole heap of trouble. As stated, these rankings are not mere numbers but represent the actual performance of the team and its standing in the world at the moment.
Wasim Akram recounted how embarrassed he was as the team continued to throw away games after managing to be in good positions throughout games. “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,” he said.
Home Turf Woes
One of the main things Wasim Akram said had to do with how the team was performing on home turf. “Pakistan has been losing consistently in their own country, which is not a good thing. We are losing consistently on home turf, and that says a lot about the quality of our cricket,” Wasim Akram added. This kind of persistent failure on the home ground does tend to beg a question or two about the team’s ability to prepare and get into the right frame of mind.
This defeat is not an isolated incident. Pakistan has now lost five successive Tests—three against Australia and two against Bangladesh. A series of such losses in the ongoing World Test Championship is a cause of serious concern. The foremost aspect that it underlines is the inability of the team to be consistently competitive at the highest level.
Test Series Against England Ahead
Pakistan’s next face is England for a series of Test matches. Part of the ICC World Test Championship – 2023-25, this series will indeed be another important litmus test for the team. While the first Test is set to start on October 7 in Multan, other matches are placed in Karachi and Rawalpindi. Performances there will indeed tell much about Pakistan.
Wasim Akram’s statement epitomizes how disgruntled the followers and experts are concerning the condition of Pakistani cricket. The sense of embarrassment in his voice will resonate with many who have followed this team’s journey. Pakistan is going into its next series, and once again, the focus will be on setting right the issues highlighted by Akram for improved performances in the future.
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