Pakistan has faced an embarrassing defeat at the hands of England in the recently-concluded One-Day International (ODI) series. National cricket team captain Babar Azam and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq have also admitted that the embarrassing defeat cannot be defended in any way.
Pakistan were dismal, outclassed in every department by England, who were forced to name an entirely new squad just days ahead of the series after some players in the initial squad tested positive for Covid-19.
Pakistan’s batting had been blown away in the first two matches and despite posting the highest total against England at Edgbaston, it was the bowlers who came up short on Monday. It raises questions about whether the players, coaches including Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis, and the selectors are doing justice to their jobs.
A whitewash on an away tour is nothing new for Pakistan cricket team. They have had quite a few, across all formats of the game. But one inflicted by a team with no less than nine uncapped players should be a cause for deep concern for Pakistan.
It is important to consider how our team base will improve as no coach can teach batsmen or bowlers in a series or a year but your domestic structure helps to hone the skills of the players. An excellent example is the recent England team that defeated Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Misbah-ul-Haq pointed out that Pakistan’s 3-0 whitewash in England was because of the country’s “weak domestic cricket system. Haq believes England had the luxury to shuffle with its resources.
“Unlike England, finding a replacement or a new player for a particular place becomes difficult for Pakistan. We don’t have such a luxury. We are finding it hard to pick a right player in the middle-order,” Haq said while speaking at a virtual press conference.
The team now has to rebound quickly with the Twenty20 series starting this week against an England side with most of their big-name players returning from coronavirus-enforced isolation. It’s a series of significance and will show where Pakistan stand heading into the T20 World Cup later this year.
