Blundering PCB needs to make better decisions

UNFAZED by a major political change back home, the Bangladesh cricketers were pretty well prepared for the challenge in Pakistan. The hosts were not. They never seemed to be.

Before the just-ended series, Bangla­desh had never won a Test against Pakis­tan.

But Najmul Hossain Shanto and his well-oiled team had other ideas this time and completed the job fully and in style. For them, it’s a major feat that can boost them for future challenges. Standing up and winning after crumbling to 26-6 shows endurance as well as quality.

In contrast, nothing worked for Pakis­tan in their very own conditions. Shan Masood and his clueless men were found wanting in every department. The margin of defeats — 10 wickets and six wickets — was of a side completely outplayed.

Pakistan cricket is grinding to a halt. The double humiliation suffered by the national team in Rawalpindi is an unprecedented calamity for all the stakeholders, primarily the Pakistan Cricket Board high-ups.

“[As] well as Bangladesh played, this is embarrassing for Pakistan,” tweeted cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle.

But this wasn’t something unforeseen. It was coming. It was just a matter of time.

The recent selection of Waqar Younis as an adviser to PCB chairman on cricket affairs and then former captain’s subsequent departure within three weeks before his appointment as a mentor for the inaugural Champions Cup is a prime example of the waywardness demonstrated by the incumbent Mohsin Naqvi-led regime.

With the PCB’s top management changing with every change of guard at political level, there is has been no consistent framework. In less than two years, the PCB has had four chairmen; the revolving doors at the top keeping the game in a state of flux.

“I wouldn’t just blame the players because whatever has happened in the PCB in the last one-and-a-half years and the captaincy and management changes have affected the team,” former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad was quoted as saying in a Press Trust of India report in the aftermath of the Bangladesh series.

The ongoing struggles of Babar Azam, a vital cog in Pakistan’s batting lineup, are a prime example of how the changes at the top can impact a player.

Babar has been woeful of late, his failures against Bangladesh coming after a four-year spell as captain. His resignation as captain from all formats following Pakis­tan’s disastrous 50-over World Cup show in India late last year and reappointment as T20 skipper within four months for this year’s World Cup — where the Green-shirts crashed in the first round — signifies how ridiculously the PCB managements have mishandled the matter.

Similarly, giving Shaheen Shah Afridi the T20 reins for just one series in which hosts New Zealand routed Pakistan 4-1 did no good to the pacer’s morale and that of the team. Had that misstep not taken, he would’ve probably retained the zip in his bowling. But it seems that the left-armer has lost it all and was subsequently dropped for the second Bangladesh Test.

Three weeks ago, Shan was eyeing the World Test Championship final. How things change. After the series sweep, the skipper was mentioning the “gap of 10 months” in Tests and “lack of five-day mental and physical fitness levels” as the reasons for Pakistan’s losses.

It doesn’t get any easier for Shan and his men as England are all set to arrive in Pakistan for a three-Test rubber next month. Pakistan have now suffered two series sweeps — 3-0 in Australia and 2-0 against Bangladesh — on the trot.

The PCB top management needs to sit down and plan properly and seriously with consistent decision making to at the very least slow down the slide Pakistan team is currently facing. Short-term or cosmetic measures aren’t working.

Otherwise, the PCB is better advised to stage at least one of the forthcoming England Tests at a venue where rain is likely to significantly disrupt the play. Just to prevent a ‘hat-trick’ of series sweeps.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2024