"You don't know how to play, you're not capable enough to play" - Ahmad Shahzad blasts Pakistan for 2024 home Test series loss vs Bangladesh
Former Pakistan batter Ahmad Shahzad slammed the side as incapable of playing Test cricket after their humiliating home series defeat to Bangladesh. Already reeling off a dismal past few months, Pakistan hit rock bottom by losing both Tests to the lower-ranked Bangladesh side in Rawalpindi.
Shan Masood's men were heavily criticized after the defeat in the series opener, their first-ever to Bangladesh in Test history. Yet, they displayed little improvement, especially with the bat, in their six-wicket loss in the second Test.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Shahzad said in a video titled 'Home turf humiliation':
"Bangladesh has whitewashed Pakistan in their own home conditions. You don't know how to play, you're not capable enough to play [directed towards the Pakistani team]. All their practice sessions have also been conducted after they arrived in Pakistan. The condition their country was in at that moment of time was also not that good. They have come to Pakistan and have outplayed you without breaking a sweat."
Pakistan had Bangladesh on the ropes in both Tests but failed to capitalize on the momentum before their second innings with the bat spelled doom.
In the recently concluded second Test, Pakistan, after scoring 274 had Bangladesh reeling at 26/6 in the first innings. However, they allowed the visitors to recover to 262, thanks to a brilliant century from Litton Das and a valuable 78 from Mehidy Hasan.
Pakistan then capitulated for a paltry 172 in their second essay, similar to the 146 all-out in the second innings of the first Test, enabling a relatively comfortable chase for Bangladesh again.
"Their bowlers have demonstrated the channels in which one should bowl, and all you were left is blaming the pitch" - Ahmad Shahzad
Ahmad Shahzad praised the Bangladesh side for their unwavering spirit with the bat and outstanding skill level with the ball during the two-Test series.
It was only Bangladesh's third away Test series win, with the first two coming against the West Indies and Zimbabwe.
"The manner in which they played their cricket, the way they dominated, the approach with which they batted, the style in which they bowled, Rana bowled really well. Their batters have displayed the unwavering spirit one requires to succeed in Test cricket. Their bowlers have demonstrated the channels in which one should bowl, and all you were left is blaming the pitch," said Shahzad.
He added:
"However, the Bangladeshi batters made the track look like a road whenever they got the opportunity to bat. Whenever your (Pakistani) batters would get an opportunity to bat, they would prefer coming down the order against Nahid Rana)."
The loss extended Pakistan's winless streak in home Tests to 10, with their last home win in the red-ball format coming against South Africa in 2021.