Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has launched a scathing attack on his country's cricket team following its loss to England in the 1st Test of a three-match series in Multan on Friday. The defeat at the Multan Cricket Stadium was Pakistan's sixth in as many Tests, and the team has now failed to win each of their last 10 games in the format. While analysing the match on his YouTube channel, Basit, in a viral rant, labelled the situation in Pakistan cricket as "shameful".
Basit also questioned star batter Babar Azam's place in the team, urging the selectors to drop him. Babar has not scored a Test century in over two years, and Basit feels that if any other player had gone through a similar patch, the selectors would've dropped him from the team much earlier.
"Babar Azam needs rest. He should be the one saying, 'I need to rest'. It's been 18 innings without a significant performance. Any other player would have been dropped after three games, like Fawad Alam. This is the harsh reality. Babar should reduce his stance. It's too wide now. The whole world is laughing. Is this how you play?," Basit said on his YouTube channel.
The 52-year-old also shared his views on captain Shan Masood, suggesting that the southpaw should be opening the batting. He also raised questions over Shan's credentials as captain.
"I've always maintained that Shan is an opener and should be opening. But he played at number three. Now what will happen? Who will you drop? He should play in his rightful position. He doesn't even understand captaincy. What has become of this cricket team? It's shameful," he added.
The loss continues a painful stretch for Pakistan and will compound the pressure on Masood, who is reportedly set to be sacked by the PCB.
The win is England's fourth consecutive Test triumph on Pakistan soil, after a 3-0 whitewash two years ago. England had only won two away Tests against Pakistan in the previous 61 years.
(With AFP Inputs)