"If any team can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, it's the Pakistan team" - Ramiz Raja on the hosts' loss in PAK vs BAN 2024 1st Test
Ramiz Raja has criticized Pakistan for losing the first Test against Bangladesh from an advantageous position. He pointed out the hosts were found wanting in both the bowling and batting departments.
Pakistan declared their first innings at 448/6 but allowed Bangladesh to post 565 in their first essay after reducing them to 218/5. Shan Masood and company were then bundled out for 146 in their second innings in Rawalpindi on Sunday, August 25. The hosts eventually lost the game by 10 wickets.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Raja noted that Pakistan have virtually made it a habit of losing games after enjoying the upper hand.
"If any team can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, it's the Pakistan team, and their reputation has become like that. This has not happened for the first time that Pakistan have floundered on the fifth day of Test cricket. Sometimes batting is a flop show and they bowl badly on other occasions," he said (0:01).
The former Pakistan batter added that the Men in Green succumbed under pressure.
"It becomes an odd story whenever pressure mounts on this team. I feel it's a serious problem. Your belief system goes off as soon as pressure mounts on you, especially on the bowlers, as they start bowling bad spells. The batters don't have the ability at all as it becomes a flop show whenever there is slight sideways movement," Ramiz Raja added.
Raja also questioned Pakistan for not playing a specialist spinner. Part-time spinner Agha Salman ended up bowling 41 overs, going wicketless and conceding 136 runs.
"The confidence crisis in this bowling lineup, especially in fast bowling, started from the match against India" - Ramiz Raja
Reflecting on Pakistan's bowling in the same video, Ramiz Raja noted that their seamers' confidence and reputation had taken a hit since the mauling against India in last year's Asia Cup.
"The fast bowling reputation has finished. The debacle started from the Asia Cup. The confidence crisis in this bowling lineup, especially in fast bowling, started from the match against India. Our fast bowlers were thrashed in seaming conditions. Then the entire world figured out that if they are attacked, this bowling attack is not of the same standard as its reputation," Raja said (2:20).
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Bangladesh seamers outbowled their Pakistan counterparts.
"Everyone's speed has gone down and the skill level is not there. The Bangladesh fast bowlers looked more penetrative. Our bowlers are mostly looking to enjoy or create drama after picking up a wicket rather than create their reputation through performance," Ramiz Raja added.
Naseem Shah (3/93) was Pakistan's most successful bowler. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali picked up two wickets apiece but failed to drive home the advantage.