(Source X)
Former wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal expressed his frustration following Pakistan’s surprising defeat to Bangladesh in the opening Test. This loss marked Bangladesh’s first-ever Test victory over Pakistan, giving them a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The unexpected defeat on home soil prompted a strong reaction from former cricketers, with Akmal also voicing his discontent.
On his YouTube channel, Akmal criticized Shan Masood and the rest of the team for their subpar performance.
“Aapne pichle 5 saalon se kuch nahi seekha [You haven’t learned anything in the last 5 years],” the retired wicketkeeper said. He further claimed that this humiliating loss put a stain on Pakistan Cricket as it would never be forgotten.
“Our batters were playing like club cricketers. Sorry, not even club cricketers play this way. The approach was poor. The players were laughing in the dressing room. There is no seriousness because they will not be questioned. It looked like they were playing for fun.”
Kamran Akmal highlighted that Mohammad Rizwan’s innings was the only real resistance Pakistan showed in the opening Test. He asserted that without Rizwan’s contribution, the hosts would have faced defeat by an innings.
“You lost to Zimbabwe. Last year, you were eliminated from the Asia Cup. You were humiliated in the T20 World Cup,” he said. The retired wicketkeeper added that the current team has made an absolute mockery of Pakistan cricket globally.
Although Akmal was disappointed with Pakistan’s performance, he took the time to congratulate Bangladesh on their historic victory.
“Bangladesh had a difficult time but their batters scored runs. They had to save the match and not only they did do just that but also won the fixture. They also exposed Pakistan cricket.”
In the Rawalpindi Test, Bangladesh won the toss and chose to field first. Pakistan scored 448 runs, losing six wickets in their first innings before declaring. Mushfiqur Rahim’s remarkable 191-run innings allowed Bangladesh to surpass Pakistan with a total of 565 runs. The visitors then restricted Pakistan to just 146 runs in their second innings and added an unbeaten 30 runs to secure the victory.
The second Test of the series will see Pakistan and Bangladesh face off again on August 30 at the same venue.
