Pakistan cricket has sunk to a fresh low following a 3-0 Test series whitewash in England, marked by mid-series sackings, squad expulsions, and cybercrime investigations into senior players.
Pakistan cricket has plunged deeper into turmoil following a dismal 3-0 Test series whitewash in England. Tagged as the worst team to tour England in the last 50 years, the disastrous tour was defined by mid-series sackings, squad expulsions, and severe batting failures where the side failed to cross 200 in five out of six innings, with only a dazzling debut cameo by Razaullah offering a brief flicker of hope.
The internal chaos escalated quickly during the series when head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling chief Umar Gul were sacked from their posts, and seven players were expelled from the squad. White-ball coach Mike Hesson was drafted in to lead the team for the third Test at Edgbaston, but could not change their fortunes. Meanwhile, expelled players Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq faced investigations from the national cybercrime agency over accusations of leaking team information.
The defeat at Edgbaston stands as Pakistan's 16th loss in their last 21 Tests, leaving them ninth and last on the World Test Championship (WTC) table for the second consecutive cycle. The ongoing slump reflects administrative instability, with the team cycling through three captains and six Test head coaches over the past three years, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has seen five different chairmen in as many years.
Former fast-bowling legend Wasim Akram stated he foresaw the downfall, noting that a flawed domestic system has failed to prepare players for red-ball cricket. Fellow former stars Shahid Afridi and 1992 World Cup winner Mushtaq Ahmed termed the situation "gloomy" and warned that the steep decline will take time to fix, as public interest wanes following previous white-ball setbacks including early exits in the Champions Trophy and recent T20 World Cups.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Cricket. Photo courtesy The Hindu Cricket.