New Delhi: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has criticized his team's performance, particularly attributing their defeat in the inaugural Test match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi to a "lack of awareness."
In a statement, Pakistan conceded a significant 10-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the opening game of a two-match Test series.
Afridi, in a public statement on his official social media handle, expressed concerns over the decision to field four fast bowlers and omit their primary spinner in the first Test against Bangladesh, suggesting it raised questions about the strategic selection of players and the suitability of the pitch for this type of match.
"A 10-wicket defeat casts serious doubts on the strategic choices made, particularly the decision to play on this type of pitch, select four fast bowlers, and exclude a specialist spinner. This clearly indicates a lack of understanding of the conditions in which the match is being played," Afridi wrote.
He also acknowledged Bangladesh's impressive performance, stating, "You cannot deny the quality of cricket displayed by Bangladesh throughout the Test."
Reflecting on the first match of the series, the Test in Rawalpindi began with a damp start due to a delayed start caused by wet outfield conditions. However, by the fifth day, the match had evolved into an intense thriller.
Despite the match being reduced to only 41 overs on the first day, Bangladesh managed to secure a strong start, scoring four crucial wickets.
On the second day, Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel stepped up, each scoring a century to help their team. Rizwan, in particular, demonstrated remarkable resilience, scoring an unbeaten 171 in a lengthy innings that left him physically exhausted by the end of the day. With the aim of forcing a result, Pakistan declared their innings at 448/6.
For Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shadnam Islam had a standout performance, with Rahim scoring 191 and Islam 93, making Pakistan's task of fielding difficult. Both players were very close to achieving significant milestones but fell just short.
At the start of the fifth day, Pakistan struggled, being bowled out for just 146 runs, with Rizwan putting up a valiant effort with a half-century. Bangladesh's spinners were particularly effective, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz taking four wickets and Shakib Al Hasan adding three more.
To secure a historic win, Bangladesh needed just 30 runs, which they achieved in under seven overs without conceding a wicket.
With this victory, Bangladesh took a 1-0 lead in the two-match Test series.
