Ex-Pak captain points out ‘India’ angle in defeat to B’desh

NEW DELHI: Pakistan suffered a significant defeat in Test cricket, losing by 10 wickets to Bangladesh at home, drawing sharp criticism towards captain Shan Masood and his team.
It was Bangladesh’s first ever Test victory over Pakistan in 14 meetings.
Former cricketer and commentator Ramiz Raja suggests that this loss was related to their underwhelming performance in the Asia Cup against India, which shattered the confidence of Pakistani bowlers.Ramiz Raja highlighted several issues contributing to the defeat, including dubious team selection choices and a noticeable decline in fast bowling prowess. He emphasized the lack of a specialist spinner and the current struggles faced by Pakistan’s famous pace attack.
Raja believes these issues became apparent following the Asia Cup when Indian batsmen exposed the weaknesses of Pakistani pacers.

“Firstly, there was a mistake in team selection. You were without a spinner. Secondly, the reputation on which we rely for our fast bowlers is finished. This debacle, a sort of confidence crisis, started during the Asia Cup when India bashed our pacers on seaming conditions. Then the secret was out to the world: the way to counter this line-up was to attack. Their speeds have decreased, and so have their skill set,” Ramiz said on his YouTube channel.

Another focal point of Raja’s critique was Shan Masood’s captaincy. He faulted Masood’s inability to assess playing conditions accurately, leading to the surprising loss. Raja particularly pointed to Masood’s decision to play four pacers on a Rawalpindi pitch during August as a strategic error that backfired.

“Shan Masood is currently on a losing streak. I felt, in Australian conditions, things are tougher and it was impossible for the Pakistan team to win a series there. But you are now losing in home conditions against a team like Bangladesh because you did not read the conditions well,” Ramiz asserted.
Raja also reflected on Masood’s decision-making abilities and the uninspiring performances from both the batsmen and bowlers under his leadership. Raja suggested that Masood needed significant improvement in his batting to validate his position in the team.
“He needs to work on his batting. It’s not like he is a great captain, and so if he keeps getting out for ducks, he would still have his place in the side. Losing makes a huge dent in the team and the morale of the side. You cannot lose the series. Pakistan cricket is already under a lot of pressure. A series loss would mean tension in the dressing room; there will be a lot of criticism and questions raised,” Ramiz warned.