Following Pakistan's humiliating 10-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in the first Test match at Rawalpindi, former cricketer Shahid Afridi has lashed out at the team's shocking performance.
This was also the visitors' first-ever Test match victory against the hosts Pakistan in over 5 decades of competitive head-to-head cricket.
After declaring their first innings at 448/6, the Pakistan team led by captain Shan Masood found it difficult to restrict the Bangladeshi batters, particularly Mushfiqur Rahim, who scored 191 runs in the second innings, taking his team to 565 runs.
With a lead of 117 runs, the visitors had an upper hand, as they reduced the hosts to 28/2 at the end of Day 4.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who had scored 77 runs for Bangladesh earlier, struck four times with the ball as the hosts bundled for just 146 runs, with a lead of just 29 runs for the Bangladesh batters to chase down.
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What did Shahid Afridi say following Pakistan's 10-wicket defeat against Bangladesh?
Former cricketer Shahid Afridi, who had been part of Pakistan sides that had only dominated Bangladesh in the past, was shocked at the result of the first Test match at Rawalpindi.
He raised several questions regarding the team's selection, particularly the team's decision to exclude a specialist spinner from the squad on a turning pitch when they had a quality wrist spinner like Abrar Ahmed on this kind of surface.
Afridi slammed the Pakistan management for their lack of awareness of home conditions, as the team went into the match with an all-out pace bowling attack, which backfired massively.
MORE: Pakistan should not have left out Abrar Ahmed', says Kamran Akmal
"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," the former Pakistan allrounder said.
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…
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) August 25, 2024
The two sides, Bangladesh and Pakistan, will meet again at Rawalpindi for the second Test match, starting on August 30.
MORE: When did Pakistan last lose a Test at Rawalpindi?
