Ahmed Shehzad Slams PCB After Historic Pakistan Defeat to Bangladesh

In a scathing critique of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has expressed disappointment with the board’s strategy and selection policies following Pakistan’s shocking 10-wicket loss to Bangladesh in the Rawalpindi Test. This defeat marked Bangladesh’s first-ever Test victory over Pakistan on their home turf.

After being dismissed for a mere 146 runs in their second innings, Pakistan handed Bangladesh a modest target of 30 runs, which the visitors chased down comfortably. Speaking in a video posted on X, Shehzad described the loss as a “new low” for Pakistan cricket.

“Pakistan ki cricket ka haal yeh ho gaya hai ki aaj Bangladesh ne Pakistan ke home soil pe pehli dafa zindagi me Pakistan ko hara diya. Maine apni zindagi me Pakistan cricket ko itna low jaate huye kabhi nahi dekha. Kabhi zindagi me nahi dekha. Batting, bowling, fielding, achcha, bura ye toh baad ki baat he. Lekin yeh ek naya low hit kiya he Pakistan ne, jo ki maine apni Zindagi me kabhi nahi dekha [Pakistan cricket has reached a point where today Bangladesh defeated Pakistan on home soil for the first time ever. I have never seen Pakistan cricket sink so low in my life. This is a new low that Pakistan has hit, which I have never seen in my life],” Shehzad expressed.

Shehzad also hinted that Pakistan may struggle to bounce back from this defeat, drawing parallels to their struggles post their loss to Afghanistan in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He criticized the PCB for making short-term decisions that have led the team on a downward spiral similar to the decline of Pakistani hockey.

“Aur Pakistan iss defeat se bahut mushkil se nikal payega, jaise Afghanistan ki defeat se aaj tak nahi nikal paa raha hai. Issi tarah Pakistan is defeat se bahut mushkil se nikal payega. Humne pehle bhi bola tha. Agar aapne short term decision liye hai toh Pakistan ki team already he na zero ki taraf he, hockey wala haal ho raha hai. Lekin humne yeh nahi expect kiya tha ki aap Bangladesh se bhi har jayenge. Aaj aapne woh bhi kar dikhaya,” he stated.

Despite the disappointing performance, Shehzad refused to blame the players and instead pointed fingers at the PCB for its lack of vision and flawed selection policies.

“Isme players ki koi galti main nahi manta. Mujhe nahi lagta isme players ki galti hai. Galti Pakistan Cricket Board ki hai. Kyunki players kabhi bhi aapko zabardasti nahi keh rahe he ki humein aap team me daale. Aap log he jo unko lagataar khilaye jaa rahe he. Aap log he jo domestic ke players ko aane nahi de rahe. Aap hi log he jo khud hi yeh bata rahe hai ki humare paas domestic me he hi kuch nahi. Toh aapke paas domestic mein iss tarah ke players nahi he jo in logon ko replace kar sakenge, toh aapne banaya kya hai abhi tak,” he argued.

Before this match, Pakistan had won 12 out of the 13 Test encounters against Bangladesh, with one ending in a draw. The defeat in Rawalpindi has sparked debates within the cricketing community, demanding introspection and reforms within the PCB to avoid such historic defeats in the future.