NEW DELHI:
Shahid Afridi
didn't mince his words on Sunday after Pakistan's surprising 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test at Rawalpindi, raising "serious questions" about the team's strategy and selection.
The former all-rounder expressed his concerns on X, highlighting the choice of pitch and the selection of four fast bowlers, with the exclusion of a specialist spinner, as key missteps.
"A 10-wicket defeat raises serious questions about the decision to prepare this type of pitch, select four fast bowlers and leave out a specialist spinner. This to me clearly shows a lack of awareness about home conditions. That said, you cannot take the credit away from Bangladesh for the brand of
cricket
they played throughout the Test," Afridi opined.
Bangladesh's historic win marks their first-ever Test victory against Pakistan, ending a 14-match winless streak that included 12 losses and a single draw. The Test, delayed due to a wet outfield, evolved into a gripping contest, especially on the fifth day.
Pakistan, initially struggling with early wickets, was rescued by
Mohammad Rizwan
's unbeaten 171 and
Saud Shakeel
's century, posting a formidable 448/6 declared.
However, Bangladesh responded with resilience, led by
Mushfiqur Rahim
's monumental 191 and Shadnam Islam's 93, putting them in a strong position by Day 4.
The final day saw Pakistan crumble under pressure. Their batting lineup collapsed from 23/1 to 146 all out, largely due to the exceptional spin bowling of
Mehidy Hasan
Miraz (4 wickets) and
Shakib Al Hasan
(3 wickets).
Bangladesh, needing just 30 runs to win, comfortably reached the target in less than seven overs without losing a wicket, sealing a momentous victory.
This win propels Bangladesh to sixth place in the ICC World Test Championship standings, tied on points with Sri Lanka at 40%. Pakistan, however, has slipped to eighth place with a point percentage of 30.56%, prompting calls for introspection as they face increasing scrutiny over their approach in the Test arena.
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