"I’d have asked Abdullah Shafique to pack his bags and go home" - Basit Ali slams Pakistani batter following PAK vs BAN 2024 1st Test
Basit Ali didn't mince his words while assessing Pakistani batter Abdullah Shafique's performance in the first Test against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The opening batter registered scores of 2 and 37 in the fixture, as the hosts lost by 10 wickets to go 0-1 down in the two-match series.
Speaking in his latest YouTube video, Basit stated that Shafique should consider himself lucky to still be part of Pakistan's Test team. The cricketer-turned-commentator remarked that if he was part of the Men in Green's team management, he would have asked the 24-year-old to go back home.
Slamming Shafique for his poor shot selection in Pakistan's second innings, Basit Ali said (from 3:49):
"Abdullah Shafique is very lucky. Some players are surviving on the basis of the runs scored in the past. If I was in the Pakistani dressing room, I'd have asked Abdullah Shafique to pack his bags and go home. Abdullah Shafique's shot cost Pakistan this match."
Led by Shan Masood, Pakistan were bowled out for just 146 in the second innings. Bangladesh chased down the modest 30-run target with 10 wickets in hand on Day 5 to claim their maiden Test win over Pakistan.
Mohammad Rizwan was the only saving grace for the hosts in the second essay with a 51-run knock. However, Basit expressed his disappointment over the keeper-batter throwing his wicket away after his half-century.
He commented (from 3:12):
"Mohammad Rizwan played a bad shot after completing his fifty. All the fielders were at the boundary and an easy single was on offer. What was the need to play a cross-batted shot at that time? It's a big thing to get out by playing a bad shot after completing your fifty."
With the thumping victory, Bangladesh became the first team to beat Pakistan by 10 wickets in a Test on Pakistani soil.
"They were overconfident" - Basit Ali on Pakistan's first innings declaration
After being asked to bat first, Pakistan found themselves in a precarious position, losing early wickets. Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel put their team in a good position, scoring 171* and 141.
The hosts declared their innings at 448/6. Questioning the think tank's decision to declare at that stage, Basit Ali suggested that Pakistan were overconfident. The cricketer-turned-expert said (from 8:19):
"In the first innings, was it the right time to declare? You could have let Mohammad Rizwan complete his 200. But they were overconfident. There is a lot of difference between saying things and doing them."
Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim was adjudged the Player of the Match for his brilliant 191-run knock. The second and final Test of the series will take place at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from Friday, August 30.