"Pakistan lost second Test match due to captaincy": Former cricketer Basit Ali
Sep 03, 2024
New Delhi [India], September 3 : Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali slammed Shan Masood's captaincy during their second home Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
The defeat became a gloomy affair for fans and former Pakistan cricketers as the Shan Masood-led side lost the Test on their home turf that too for the first time against Bangladesh in red-ball cricket.
Even though a day was lost to rain in the second Test, Bangladesh pounced on every opportunity that came their way to seal a six-wicket win.
In the first innings, Pakistan had a grip on the game when they reduced Bangladesh to 26/6. But Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz scripted a remarkable comeback to turn the tides in the visitors' favour.
Basit lambasted Masood and claimed that his captaincy played a part in Litton's and Mehidy's partnership flourishing against Pakistan's bowling unit.
He even claimed that Masood's captaincy was the reason Pakistan lost the second Test against Bangladesh.
"It was a third-class performance. Pakistan lost the Test match due to captaincy. Captaincy played a key role in the way Litton Das and Mehidy performed after 26/6. There is no need for surgery. The Pakistan team has done surgery on themselves. Mohsin Naqvi should think about this. In the past six months, Pakistan has lost two big events," Basit said on his YouTube channel.
Litton (138) and Mehidy (78) pulled out Bangladesh from a peculiar situation by forging a 165-run stand, completely changing the dynamics of the game.
Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad believes that Masood wouldn't break into the Pakistan team if he wasn't the captain of the side.
"He would not have been in the team if he was not the captain," he said, as quoted from Geo News.
After enduring a heartbreaking series defeat against Bangladesh, Pakistan will now host England for a three-match home Test series in October.
