By Mohamed Bahaa
Former Pakistani cricket player Basit Ali has suggested Pakistan should use India’s local cricket system to improve their red-ball cricket performance. Ali’s remarks follow Pakistan’s recent test match struggles, which witnessed a notable loss against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s first-ever Test triumph over their Asian rivals was this previously mentioned match against Pakistan with a historic 10-wicket defeat at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan. This surprising loss has sparked a lot of criticism of Pakistan’s cricket system since many supporters and analysts wonder about the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) responsibility in fostering fresh talent. Officially representing PCB, Mohsin Naqvi openly acknowledged the challenge, noting that the board lacked a substantial pool of players from which to choose for Test matches.
Amidst this backdrop, Basit Ali has expressed worries on Pakistan’s present domestic cricket system. Immediately following the Test series against Bangladesh, he attacked the choice to host a One Day tournament, the Champions Cup, implying that it represented a misplaced priority. Ali contended that Pakistan should follow India’s example instead of planning similar events.
“There will be a One-Day tournament called the Champions Cup after the Test series. Pakistan has copied the systems of England, Australia, and New Zealand. India is right next to us; please copy their system too. You need intelligence in copying as well. Just copy what India is doing,” Ali said on his YouTube channel.
He also praised India’s domestic approach, especially the four-day Duleep Trophy tournament, he thinks has been very vital for their Test success “The Duleep Trophy is about to begin. Is it a T20 or One-Day tournament? It’s a four-day tournament. They focused on making their base stronger, which is why they are so successful,” Ali said.
Pakistan has strategically changed their team to bring back wrist spinner Abrar Ahmed and all-rounder Aamer Jamal as they enter the second Test. The team has not won a home Test since 2021 against South Africa, hence they are under great pressure to get a win. Pakistan’s first-ever series loss to Bangladesh and maybe their third home loss since 2022 has placed Pakistan in a precarious position resulting from the loss in the first test.
Starting on August 30 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan’s cricket squad must solve its domestic cricket flaws if they are to have long-term success in red-ball cricket.
